Will Gfeller

THEA 320 Acting II

Comedic Scene Review

Gfeller excels in Importance of Being Earnest

On Wednesday, April 27, Geneseo student William Gfeller performed as Lady Bracknell in a
classic scene from Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest. Partnered with sophomore
Kimberly Romano, Gfeller performed with clarity, hilarity, and success.

The scene is an interview between Lady Bracknell and Jack, the love interest of her daughter,
Gwendolen. Throughout, Bracknell asks absurd questions, all while trying to discover who Jack
really is. The scene ends with the revelation that Jack was found in a handbag, and does not
know his parentage. This, of course, is shocking to the ever-proper Lady Bracknell, who
promptly sweeps out in majestic indignation.

All through the scene, Gfeller demonstrated the hallmarks of skillful acting. He modified his
voice and did a fine job of executing notes at both the top and bottom of his vocal register. He
also made keen use of vocalizations as reactions to the information his scene partner gave to him.
Sometimes these vocalizations did seem a little out of place, but overall, they were used
effectively to enliven the scene. Additionally, Gfeller demonstrated a superb British accent
throughout, which reinforced the upper-class snobbery of the character he was portraying.

In terms of physicality, Gfeller demonstrated great grace and aplomb when traveling as Lady
Bracknell. He stood erect and with an upturned nose, reflecting the upper class snobbery the
character is known for. When Gfeller sat or stood for too long a while, however, the posture
began to suffer and he reverted to some uncharacteristic patterns. However, compared to
previous performances from Gfeller, the overall physicalization of the character was good.

Gfellers super-objective through the whole scene was abundantly clear: to get as much
information about Jack as possible, and by any means necessary. In terms of beat-to-beat
intentions, Gfeller continued that clarity. His intentions worked harmoniously towards his super
objective and many different tactics were evident. Some of the intentions did seem to run
together at points, especially as the scene went on. However, Gfeller did not allow this to detract
him, and he was able to convincingly act the part of a wealthy, older woman.

Interestingly, even though some clarity in Gfellers intention occurred towards the end of the
scene, that same segment of the scene held one of the pieces most comedic moments. At one
point, Gfeller stood and crossed to the opposite side of the stage before closing in on Romanos
character and forcing them to confess to their parentage. Careful eye and body movements, as
well as heightened vocal pitch and behavior made this segment come together beautifully.

In terms of prop use, Gfeller made use of a folded sheet of paper (as a notebook), a pen, and a
small fan. The pen and paper were used most frequently, and Gfeller clearly had a sense of
attachment to them. He recorded almost all of the information Romano conveyed to him, and the
manner in which he wrote was indicative of his feelings about the information he was writing.
As for the fan, Gfeller made use of it as a source of comfort whenever Romano would say
something that Gfeller rotund particularly disturbing, such as when she revealed that she didnt
know who her parents were.

Overall, I think this scene was an excellent choice for both Gfeller and Romano. Gfeller
demonstrated a variety of skills that he had learned in Acting II, and the work that the pair put
into the scene was apparent. Between his use of both vocal and physical reactions, as well as
clear intentions and desires in the scene, Gfeller proved himself as a highly capable actor who is
engaged and committed to everything that he does.