On Feb. 9, West Chester University’s English Club went to see a production of Oscar Wilde’s “An Ideal Husband.” The play runs from Jan. 15 to March 3 at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia.
“An Ideal Husband” tells the tale of a 36-hour span of time in just four scenes. The opening scene, a dinner party, sets the stage for the life of the rich, well-to-do characters. Sir Robert Chiltern, the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs, is suddenly blackmailed by an old acquaintance. The acquaintance has, in her possession, a letter proving that he gained his fortune by selling government secrets.
The opening scenes are all about setting up the conflict: will he tell his wife the truth, will he listen to his blackmailer, or will he keep the moral high ground? Unfortunately for the audience, these two scenes moved very slowly.
After a brief intermission, the play became much more entertaining in the final two scenes. As Robert’s friend comes to his aid, there is humorous confusion and cases of mistaken identity. The audience literally laughed out loud for many of the final scenes.
The characters were intriguing, and the questions they faced were relatable. While themes of politics and blackmail were prevalent, romance was also important. The overall question is, after all, what makes an ideal husband?
The talented cast made their characters believable. The sets were intricate, and the costuming set the mood. Even the set crew members, who were in charge of moving some scenery in between scenes, were dressed in suits.
The theatre is in a good location for a play. Walnut Street Theatre was founded in 1809, making it the oldest theatre in America. The English Club sat in the very last row of the theatre, but still had a completely unobstructed view of the stage. With good acoustics, the actors on stage were easily heard throughout the entire theatre. Before the play and during intermission, audience members were able to peruse the gift shop and buy snacks at the concession stand. Tickets were reasonably priced. Although the best seats in the house cost as much as $80, group ticket rates made the trip affordable for the English Club.
Laura Wayne, English Club president, said, “This is an incredible experience English Club has never had before.” Members of the English Club were positive about the field trip, indicating that they would enjoy going back to the Walnut Street Theatre in the future.
Theresa Kelly is a first year student majoring in English Literature and Secondary Education. She can be reached at TK780615@wcupa.edu.