TryLight Theatre Co. has a new production playing this month: The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.
This witty satire follows playful bachelors who create fake personas to dodge Victorian social expectations, shining a light on the absurdity of love, class and societal hypocrisy.
“Oscar Wilde had a secondary title for the play and it’s called, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People, and that’s really what it is,” says Gord Day-Janz, TryLight Theatre Co.’s artistic director.
“It’s a show really about nothing,” he says. “It’s very funny, very witty but it also was a show when it was first produced that sort of held the mirror up to the Victorian society of the day and said, ‘look at yourself and laugh’ and they would laugh…”
Day-Jaz started as an actor and soon fell in love with directing at TryLight Theatre. He has been at it for more than 30 years.
“We’re looking forward to Sunday to give them their first audience but then for the run of the show,” says Day-Janz.
“Because they’re great now, they’ll be brilliant when they have an audience.”
The show dates run from April 18 to 24, with an additional early showing on the 12th:
- April 12: 3 p.m. CDT
- April 18: 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. CDT
- April 19: 3 p.m. CDT (or live stream)
- April 21: 7:30 p.m. CDT
- April 22: 7:30 p.m. CDT
- April 23: 7:30 p.m. CDT (or live stream)
- April 24: 7:30 p.m. CDT
Tickets are on sale now at online at www.trylight.ca or in person at the theatre box office (510 Second St. S.) on April 7, 9, 14, 16, 21 and 23 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Listen to the full interview with artistic director Gord Day-Janz below:
