1.

The Action of the Play

Jack Worthing was an orphan whose only desires were to fit into high society and wed the love of his life.
Once Jacks friend, and cousin of his significant other, finds out his mysterious past, all of the lies he used
to climb his way to the top of the social ladder fall out beneath him. This hilarious play brings to light the
exclusive and absurd actions of the upper class and how your name is often the most important thing a
person can posses.

2. Thematic Conclusion
a.

b.

Honesty is a virtue, a virtue not possessed by a single upper class person in this entire play. They
hold an emphasis on saving face, rather than truth, which is best portrayed by Jacks quote,
Gwendolyn, it is a terrible thing for a man to find out suddenly that all his life he has been
speaking nothing but the truth.
The virtually meaningless goals of the characters actions. Throughout the entire play, the most
important aspect is to change their names to Earnest. Being a play of its time, England had much
more pressing issues than this, but Wilde shows how people who arent directly affected by such
things have no care for them.

3. Production Objectives
a.
b.

To use the Victorian style to emphasis the locations and type of interactions that Jack must go
through to marry Gwendolyn.
The trivial things the rich hold as extremely valuable are, in the end, meaningless and lack any sort
of substance.

4. Design Objectives
a.
b.

By emphasizing the posh, upper class nature of the characters through embroidered, gilded, and
detailed set and costume design.
To show that appearances arent everything as the plays best dressed and most eloquent
characters digress into the ridiculous interactions and scenes.

5. Translation of the design objective into visual and graphic terms

a.
b.
c.
d.

Line: Almost all style in this play would fall under Victorian. Using a lot of guided props would
show that not only is the set design guided, but the characters are too - in their own sense.
Color: Rich, stained woods with vibrant reds and gold trim. Other aspects, like furniture, would
capitalize on cream and plush colors.
Texture: Very expensive, like silk, embroidered and detailed wood. Giving the rich, upper class
feeling
Ornamentation: Not much, but gold plated and detailed aspects

6. Choice of Period, Style, and Form

a. Period: Late 20th Century Victorian Era
b.
c.

Styles: Italianate, 2nd Empire, Queen Anne

Form: Relatively small Proscenium Thrust stage with three sets for the three different acts