"The Importance of Being Earnest" could best be described as like a meeting between a Shakespearian comedy and "Jeeves and Wooster". The plot could easily have come from the bard with its masquerading and mysterious heritages, and the characters are pure Wodehouse, right down to the unflappable butlers of both houses (played by a single actor; Tristram Neil).

The refined characters and shades of Shakespeare make an outdoor college venue seem natural and Magdalen President's Garden is the perfect spot, with a natural stage formed by the terrace at the far end. Of course, such a setting is not without its disadvantages, but the cast gamely tackled a first act vying with bell-ringers and a final act sheltering from a cloudburst with no loss of poise, clarity or comic timing. Stylish and colour-coordinated period costume and simple props helped to anchor the setting.

The frothy plot relies on coincidence to extremes but serves its purpose: to provide a charming vehicle for Wilde's sparking dialogue, strewn with lines that you will recognise from your dictionary of quotations. The whole cast managed superbly with a script which could so easily sound stilted, instead making it natural, flowing and of course, very funny. The acting was of uniformly high quality, with the principal gentlemen veering between urbanity and exasperation, and the ladies delivering appropriately high levels of whimsical charm. There were particularly strong performances from Tai Shan Ling as John "Earnest" Worthing and Nell Watson as his ward Cecily but really, there was nothing to fault in any quarter. If you have the opportunity on a pleasant summer evening this is not to be missed, and even on a night like ours it was well worth the visit.

Jo Charman & Alex Williams