The Importance of Being Earnest

Act One

The Importance of Being Earnest opens in dashing young Algernon Moncrieff’s flat on Half-Moon street in London, where he is playing piano with “wonderful expression” but not very well. He talks to his manservant Lane about the happenings of the previous few evenings and plans for Algernon’s aunt, Lady Bracknell’s, arrival later in the afternoon. She has expressly asked for cucumber sandwiches, and Algernon inspects them with much pomp, before stuffing his face with them. A shocking amount of wine has been drunk over the past few days, depleting Algernon’s pockets significantly –though it seems that it is mostly his own fault. Deflecting blame from himself, Algernon blames the alcohol consumption on the servants, but Lane complements Algernon’s taste in alcohol and he flits to his next topic of focus: marriage. Algernon calls it a “demoralizing state” and when Lane tries to chime in further Algernon suddenly shuts him down, saying he doesn’t want to know about Lane’s family