This Friday, March 23rd, the renowned Aquila Theatre will perform in the Arts and Sciences Auditorium at 7:30pm.  The Aquila Theatre company performs classical theatre, such as Shakespeare, but in a non-traditional manner.  They maintain the themes and controversies of classical plays while putting them in new settings and time periods.

Founded in London in 1991 by Peter Meineck, Aquila’s mission is to “bring the greatest theatrical works to the greatest number. We believe passionately that everyone should be forded the opportunity to engage with classical drama of the highest quality at an affordable price right in their own communities, experience arts from other places and exchange ideas, discuss and explore these works in an accessible and exciting format.”  In order to accomplish this task, Aquila travels to more than seventy towns and cities each year. True to their word, their prices are affordable, with tickets being $26 for the general public and $23 for students and seniors. They have visited Laramie before on a previous tour.

This time Aquila will be preforming Oscar Wilde’s famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest, written in 1895.  Like Aquila, Oscar Wilde has also been in Laramie—in 1882.  The Importance of Being Earnest is a biting satire filled with witty lines and romantic comedy.  The play is about Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff, who are young, crafty men that like to bend the truth to spice up their lives and get out of the stiff social obligations of the English upper class.  Jack creates an imaginary brother, Ernest, while Algeron creates an imaginary friend, Bunbury. They both use their creations as excuses to escape from their lackluster lives.  However, their lies begin to unravel through comedic instances that hint at the aristocracy’s obsessions with class and status.

 

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