The Importance of Being Earnest: Special New Year’s Eve Hoo-Haa

 How do you fancy beginning 2012 in decadent fashion? Lord and Lady Bracknell invite you to join them for the ultimate New Year’s Eve event at the MTC Theatre, Sumner for a special New Year’s Eve performance of The Importance of Being Earnest.

 How do you fancy beginning 2012 in decadent fashion? Lord and Lady Bracknell invite you to join them for the ultimate New Year’s Eve event at the MTC Theatre, Sumner for a special New Year’s Eve performance of The Importance of Being Earnest.  What better occasion to dress up, enjoy a glass of bubbly, canapés and treats, and laugh the evening away than the Melbourne Theatre Company’s performance of Oscar Wilde’s masterpiece. Directed by Simon Phillips (Love Never Dies, Priscilla) and featuring Academy Award-winning actor Geoffrey Rush as the indomitable Lady Bracknell, the show stars Emily Barclay (Cecily Cardew), Patrick Brammall (Algernon Moncrieff), Bob Hornery (Merriman, Lane), Jane Menelaus (Miss Prism), Toby Schmitz (John Worthing, J.P), Tony Taylor (Rev. Canon Chasuble, D.D.) and Christie Whelan (Hon. Gwendolen Fairfax). The event is exclusive and the dress code is black-tie. All guests will have the opportunity to enjoy Delicious canapés, a choc top at interval and a Chandon champagne toast to welcome in 2012 along with Montara wines, White Rabbit beers and soft-drinks. After the performance, (for which you will receive a complementary program) put on your dancing shoes as a sizzling swing band, Kimba and the Gin Remedy, rings in the New Year as you celebrate with friends, family and some of the cast.
The show will be the final hurrah for Simon Phillips as Artistic Director of MTC. “For my swan song at MTC – at least as its Artistic Director – I’m determined to go out joyfully (and perhaps a little sentimentally). Some of you may remember my 1988 production of Wilde’s dazzling masterpiece. Thanks to an astonishing cast and an exquisite design, it ran for over a year, touring the entire country. Although it was one of the happiest experiences of my career, I can’t think about it now without some sadness. Ruth Cracknell, Monica Maughan, Frank Thring and Gordon Chater, all astonishing in the original, are no longer with us. But Jane Menelaus and Geoffrey Rush, who played the handbag-crossed lovers Gwendolyn and Jack, are in their artistic prime and will step up a generation to play Miss Prism and Lady Bracknell respectively. The roles they vacated will be taken by bright new things Christie Whelan and Toby Schmitz, while Bob Hornery, Canon Chasuble in the original, will play the two butlers originated by Frank Thring” said Simon Phillips. The plot is simplicity itself. In the city, Jack pretends to be Ernest, his non-existent brother, in order to woo Gwendolyn, Algy’s cousin. In the country, Algy pretends to be Jack’s brother, Ernest, in order to woo Cecily, Jack’s ward. Jack returns to the country mourning Ernest’s ‘death’ only to find Ernest (Algy) very much alive… Frolicking in the original Aubrey Beardsley inspired book set designed by the late Tony Tripp, The Importance of Being Earnest is a superb comedy of manners. Don’t miss one of the last opportunities to get tickets for this wonderful night at the theatre.   Original Set and Costume Designer Tony TrippLighting Designer Matt Scott Set Realiser Richard RobertsCostume Realiser Tracy Grant LordAssistant Director Daniel Clarke
The Importance of Being Earnest New Year Eve celebrationsVenue: The MTC Theatre, SumnerDate: Saturday 31 December 2011 Time: Function starts at 7pm –Performance starts at 8:30pmFinish: Sunday 1 January 2012, 1amDress code: Black Tie/CocktailTicket price: $285 plus booking fees Booking details: The MTC Theatre Box Office 03 8688 0800 or mtc.com.au