Identity and deception take center stage in the Santa Clara University Theatre and Dance Department’s fall production of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest,” running Nov. 6-15 at the Louis B. Mayer Theatre.

Written in 1895 and set in Victorian England, the play uses witty dialogue, exaggerated characters and upper-class humor to satirize the era’s societal expectations. At the time, society heavily valued status, marriage and respectability, which the production explores through both complex character dynamics and stylistic design choices.

Although the play was written more than a century ago, its exploration of selfhood and community standards remains a relevant commentary to modern audiences.

Kimberly Mohne Hill, theatre and dance department chair and director of “The Importance of Being Earnest,” explained that the play’s comedic approach is a way to draw viewers into the broader message.

“You let your guard down when you start laughing,” said Hill.

“The Importance of Being Earnest” follows Jack Worthing, a seemingly respectable young man who invents a fictional brother named Ernest to escape his responsibilities in the countryside. While in London, Jack adopts Ernest’s identity, allowing him to lead a double life.

His friend, Algernon Moncrieff, follows a similar strategy, inventing an imaginary friend named Bunbury to avoid unwanted social obligations.

As the characters navigate romance, friendship and societal expectations, their dual identities become increasingly difficult to maintain. The story invites audiences to question the expectations society places on individuals and consider what it means to truly live authentically.

Wilde, who was a queer writer living in an age where homosexuality was illegal under Victorian law, was sent to prison for two years in 1895. His isolation from society adds a deeply personal, complex layer to the play’s examination of the divide between public and private identities.

Bringing Wilde’s Victorian comedy to life presented unique challenges for the cast, particularly in mastering the play’s formal language and British dialects.

“Some folks are more confident with it than others, and that’s just natural,” said Hill. “For some of them, they’ve never done a dialect before, and for some, they’ve done this exact dialect multiple times.”

For Frank Pusich ’27, who plays Jack Worthing, the rehearsal process has been an opportunity to explore his character’s relationships and strengthen his connections with fellow performers.

“I think some big things I picked up on were to just really feel the freedom to enjoy the relationships Jack has with certain people, especially Algernon, his best bud,” said Pusich. “I think another acting thing is just continuing to further connections with other actors on stage and to really take in what they are saying and respond earnestly.”

Beyond the performances, the production’s detailed set and costume designs help bring the Victorian era to life onstage. From Algernon’s London residence to Jack’s country home, the contrasting settings visually reinforce the play’s themes.

The walls of Algernon’s house are painted a light blue and decorated with famous paintings and ornate velvet furnishings, while the garden of Jack’s country house is decorated with rosebushes, a marble fountain, and picnic tables and chairs. Additionally, the walls of the country house are painted a warm light yellow. Each element is essential to making Jack Worthing’s double life visible to the audience.

The costume choices help to distinguish the characters, reflecting their personalities and roles they assume throughout the story. Jack, for example, wears blue and grey while in the city, and warm brown and green while in the country, complementing the color palette of the set designs.

For Holly Burns ’27, who plays Gwendolen Fairfax, working both as a student and a performer over the past few months has proven to be a challenging double life of its own. But while balancing classwork with long rehearsal hours has been a lot to manage, the excitement of sharing the finished product is more than worth it.

“I hope the audience will come out for this production feeling a little lighter and with a smile on their face,” said Burns. “The fact that we get to share all of our hard work with anyone who walks through the Mayer doors is one of the best feelings I’ve had as a student at SCU.”

The final performances of “The Importance of Being Earnest” run on Nov. 13 and 14 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Louis B. Mayer Theatre. Tickets are free for students and are available via SCU Presents.