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A review by michaeldennis
The Importance of Being Earnest: A Trivial Novel for Serious People by Charles Osborne, Oscar Wilde
3.0
Don't get me wrong: I love The Importance of Being Earnest. It is witty, it's absurd, and most assuredly it's trivial. But I did hope for more in this novelization than merely Wilde's brilliant dialogue interspersed with a few "he replied" or "he thought a moment and said" and a few minor stage directions. I was kinda hoping for maybe some clever additions that might make the play even more enjoyable or enjoyable in a new way.
The most obvious way to enjoy the original work is to see it on stage. The audio performance by L.A. Theatre Works (live "radio-type" performance) is near perfect in every way. This performance is available in audible.com's "The Oscar Wilde Collection" and I highly recommend listening to the plays this way. Next, the 1952 film covers the play pretty well.
If a reader has difficulty reading the format of a play, this book is at least an entree into this work and so for that reason, it probably has a valid place.
The most obvious way to enjoy the original work is to see it on stage. The audio performance by L.A. Theatre Works (live "radio-type" performance) is near perfect in every way. This performance is available in audible.com's "The Oscar Wilde Collection" and I highly recommend listening to the plays this way. Next, the 1952 film covers the play pretty well.
If a reader has difficulty reading the format of a play, this book is at least an entree into this work and so for that reason, it probably has a valid place.