Displaying items by tag: Eliza Scanlen

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

UK, 2025, 179 minutes, Colour.

Ncuti Gatwa, Hugh Skinner, Sharon D.Clarke, Eliza Scanlon, Ronke Adekoluejo, Amanda Lawrence, Richard Cant, Julian Bleach.

Directed by Max Webster.

Once again, Oscar Wilde’s celebrated last play, from 1895.

In 1952, there was the straightforward basic staging as a drawing room comedy film, top English cast led by Michael Redgrave and Dame Edith Evans (and her still remembered classic outraged “handbag”!). It is frequently repeated for screenings on SBS World Movies and so readily available for audiences today.

There have been quite a number of filmed stage versions, even featuring David Suchet as Lady Bracknell.

There was also the 2001 version, very strong cast led by Colin Firth and Judi Dench as Lady Bracknell, but with something of an eye to modern tastes, even imagining Gwendolyn with a tattoo and the idea that Lady Bracknell began her career in the music hall. There were also some notable (inexplicably) omissions from the text.

Now here is the film version of the National Theatre’s 2025 production, complete text to delight those who have appreciated it for a long time. But the word definitely not to be used here is “straightforward”. This is not exactly a straightversion. Commentators on the play have referred to the “queer codes” inserted by  Wilde, implicit references.

An unexpected opening sets the tone, Ncuti Gatwa (television’s Dr Who)  in a pink gown, playing the piano, a Grieg Symphony,  joined by the cast dancing around the piano. Then, stopping suddenly, the curtain opening – and we are back in 1895.

The opening is familiar, Jack visiting Algy, the conversation, Jack’s love for Gwendolyn, the imminent arrival of Lady Bracknell… And the mystery of Jack being Jack in the country and Earnest in the city and Algernon and his creation of his sick friend, Bunbury, whom he has to visit to comfort at a moment’s notice. Themes of deception, relationships. But, while Hugh Skinner as Jack gives an effective performance, he is quite overshadowed so often by Ncuti Gatwa, Jack almost playing straight man (the technical comedy term) to Algernon’s flamboyant domination of the friendship and the play.

It is apt to describe the production as camp in style, manner and mannerisms, but a great deal of posing, lots of postures, running and shuffling around the stage and a great deal of innuendo.

Every audience waits to see what Lady Bracknell is going to be like, a dominating presence, her articulation of opinions, her capacity for being shocked and astounded. Sharon D. Clarke certainly dominates this production – with “handbag” voiced in low, deep dismay. She controls the main two scenes in which she is present, both snobbish and exploitative when tempted by money and class.

Australian Eliza Scanlan is a forthright Sicily. Ronke Adekoluejo is an unexpectedly knowing Gwendolyn, hyperactive (sometimes irritatingly so) and extrovert in the innuendo in a very cheeky tone. Audiences will enjoy the performers playing Miss Prism, Canon Chasuble and the actor playing the two servants.

It is probably correct to say that Oscar Wilde would have enjoyed this particular interpretation of his play, making explicit the issues in his own life and relationships, but we also remember that this was his last play, the court case, his public humiliation, imprisonment and lonely death.

CADDO LAKE

US, 2024, 99 minutes, Colour.

Dylan O'Brien, Eliza Scanlen, Carolina Falk, Lauren Ambrose, Diana Hopper, Eric Lang.

Directed by Logan George, Celine Held.

Audiences who like something mysterious, Caddo Lake can be recommended. However, it is a difficult film to review, too many dangers for spoilers!

The first part of the film seems ordinary enough, filmed at Lake Caddo on the border between Texas and Louisiana, a vast lake, somewhat resembling the Everglades, the winding water, the overhanging trees and branches, swamp areas, suggestions of crocodiles, and the local town of Karnak. The atmosphere is authentic.

The first part of the film, it seems very ordinary in terms of human drama. There are two strands of the story – and audiences wondering when they will coincide. There is teenager Ellie, her father disappeared, her mother marrying again, a stepsister, the large family with its religious beliefs, her resentment at gatherings, but a good relationship with the stepsister, Anna. But, vocal clashes with her mother and stepfather.

The other strand focuses on the young man, Paris, played by Dylan O’Brien, initially seen drowning, but surviving, his mother having a seizure and dying underwater. He works in engineering developments around the lake, is obsessed with trying to understand his mother’s illness and seizures, whether the issue is genetic, meetings with his father, accosting a doctor in the parking lot, having all the charts concerning his mother.

The film drama changes, the tone changes when the stepsister, Anna disappears. One can say that the rest of the film is taken up with the people of Karnak searching for Anna, Elly becoming more desperate. And, Paris adventures more into the interiors of the lake, discovering its mysteries, sometimes overwhelmed.

Which is the time for a review to end, and googling indicates that practically all reviewers respect the issue of not giving spoilers. Because, while the first part seems ordinary, the change of tone in the middle of the film means that audiences are watching a film and its development that they might never have anticipated.

1. The title, the focus on the lake, the visuals of the lake, vast, warranty, in flood, dryer, the mud, the foliage in the shade, engineering, bridge, the dam? Atmosphere?
2. Filming at the actual lake and in the town of Karnak? The city the visuals of the town, shops, supermarket, streets, the home, engineering sites, atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The mystery of the plot? Not revealing spoilers? The complexities?
4. The first part of the film, ordinary, introduction to Ali and her life, introduction to Paris and his concern about his mother? Having the lake in common? Ordinary human dramas? The disappearance of Anna? The change in the tone of the film, the structure, the interconnections of the times, the experiences? Mystery? Satisfying explanations – or not?
5. Ellie’s story, her mother, the disappearance of her father, and willing to be absorbed into the new family, antagonism with Daniel, the outbursts against her mother, her devotion to Anna, sharing with her, the shopping, the driving of the boat? Scenes at home? And is disappearance and the effect on her? Her own life, age, assertive, staying with Claire? The phone call and the disappearance? Change, her searching, the reactions of the town and the people, her becoming more desperate? The disappearances of the boats?
6. Paris and his story, the opening, underwater, his mother, the seizure, her death, his blaming himself? Years passing, his having all his mother’s records, checking them out, accosting the doctor in the parking lot, the discussions with his father? His mother’s illness, explanations, genetic or not, his trembling hand? The behaviour of his father, meetings, discussions? His work, the engineering, the fellow workers? The eerie atmosphere of the woods and the lake? His venturing out?
7. The supporting characters, Paris and the return of his girlfriend, the relationship, the discussions, his distancing her?
8. The supporting characters, Ellie, the family gathering, the tensions, the arguments? The sheriff, the townspeople searching for an?
9. The mystery of the lake, light and darkness, tortures and daylight, passing through certain areas, the effect on the ear, the resounding echoes, the effect, time change? Ellie and the rope to anchor her trip, the boat, the search, the rope cut?
10. Paris, the walls, the search, finding and wounded, carrying her, the past, the workers, suspicions, taking her away?
11. Anna, Julie finding her, taking her home?
12. Paris and the past, the future, his injuries, in the hospital, observing, the escape, stealing the car, the pursuit, diving into the River? The final encounter with his father?
13. Ellie, the past, the search, the encounter with Celeste, the news about Paris? At the computer, the googling, the information, with her mother, the truth about Paris?
14. The complexities of time, different dimensions, movement, influence of the past, the complexity of the relationships?