By John Lyle Belden

We have seen local performer Alec Cole on stage since he was a boy (as part of KidsPlay Inc. in Greenfield). Since then, the young man has appeared in area community theatre as an actor and even got to assistant-direct “HadesTown” at Footlite Musicals.

Naturally, the next step was to direct a production himself, and Our Town Players of Franklin agreed to let him helm the popular (and royalty-free) Oscar Wilde comedy, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” which just completed an early-May run.

Judging by the results we saw, we give his debut high marks. It included splendid performances by Theodore Rash as Jack (and “Earnest”) Worthing; Jon Books-Poole as Algernon (call me “Earnest”) Moncrief; Kylie Heagy as Gwendolen Fairfax and Rayne Fort as Cecily Cardew, who both “simply must marry an Earnest;” Jerry Maguire as Lady Bracknell, who sternly forbids the wedding; Beth Popplewell as Miss Prism, Cecily’s governess; Tim Latimer as The Rev. Dr. Chasuble, who enjoys long walks (with Prism);  and James Marietta as the stoic butler (Merriman or Lane, depending on residence).

In a savage satire on Victorian British society that still elicits laughter, the plot centers on the hazards of performing a Bunbury – Algernon’s term for a made-up excuse to avoid a dreaded family or social obligation by needing to be somewhere else (in his case, an invalid friend, Mr. Bunbury, living in the countryside). To disassociate the morally upstanding and roguish sides of his personality, Mr. Worthing is “Earnest in town, and Jack in the country.”  Like any romantic comedy, the pursuit of and overcoming obstacles to the eventual happy-ending marriage propel events.

Maguire, in a wonderfully frumpy yet elegant dress by Sasha Haywood, is wicked fun as the upper-crust lady who won’t let niece Gwendolen marry a man who apparently started life abandoned in a handbag, no matter what his name is.

Making their community theatre debuts, Fort and Heagy each charm as the Earnest-smitten maidens. Whether at odds, or declaring each other “sisters,” they acquit their roles excellently.

We also give scene-stealing kudos to Marietta, who serves with a flourish, and can give almost wordless sarcasm with a glance.  

Cole said his approach to the verbose play was to accentuate Wilde’s words with appropriate movement, keeping the show fun and farcical. Assisted by stage manager Jennifer Feutz, he also credits help from father Dennis Cole (KidsPlay dad and CrazyLake performer); makeup artist and companion, Gemma Rollison; as well as her mother (and Agape staff) Tracey Rollison in finding props.

We confess this was my and Wendy’s first time to Our Town, which uses an excellent venue, AAC Auditorium, in one of Franklin’s city parks. Find out about upcoming productions at otpfranklin.org.