“THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.”

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 135, 8 May 1933, Page 3

“THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST.”

The production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” by the Mana/watu Repertory Society at the Opera House on Friday and Saturday of this week is directing public attention to its author, Oscar Wilde, who in his day was a London celebrity known both for his writing and 1113 conversation. The following story is a good illustration of his peculiar attractiveness, even to people of widely different outlook from his own. The late Lord Grimthorpe had a party of Yorkshire sportsmen, fox hunting squires for the most part, at ICirkstull Grange. Hearing that Oscar Wilde was in Leeds, he invited him over for lunch. The moment Wilde was announced, the sportsmen went to ground. They collected in groups, hid themselves behind, papers and made the new arrival feel that he was not popui lar. Wilde greeted his host, and began to talk as though he had noticed nothing. “In. five minutes,” Grimthorpe declared, when telling the story, “all the papers went down and everyone had gathered round him to listen and laugh. At the end. of the meal one guest after another begged their host to give a dinner and invito them to meet Wilde again. They were enchanted by him.”