Kamilah Bush’s adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ at Portland Center Stage brings new depth to this classic comedy. While the play traditionally presents itself as a straightforward tale of privileged couples, Bush’s interpretation uncovers the homoerotic elements that resonate through Wilde’s work, reflecting his experiences in a society that criminalized his identity. Alongside this, dramaturg Taylor Barfield provides insightful notes that reveal the play's layered jokes and subtexts, connecting it to Wilde’s life and the underground gay community of Victorian London.
"The Importance of Being Earnest wasn't part of the literary evidence used to bolster the crown's case against Wilde. It was then, and still is, very effectively cloaked in the garb of a conventional comedy of manners."
"In especially helpful program notes for this production, dramaturg Taylor Barfield illuminates elements of what he terms the 'homoerotic underbelly' of Wilde's comedy, rife with jokes and allusions for London's underground gay community."
#the-importance-of-being-earnest #oscar-wilde #lgbtq-history #theater-adaptation #portland-center-stage
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