Q1. First impression in the opening scene
When the act begins and the conversation between Algernon and Lane starts,
who leaves the strongest first impression on you?
The man talking about music and food.
The servant answering politely but very briefly.
The guest whose arrival I immediately expect and imagine.
The woman who is still absent but already mentioned as important.
Q2. When Jack arrives
When Jack finally enters and speaks with Algernon, whose side of the talk did you pay most attention to?
— Choose one —
Jack – I wanted to understand who he is and why he came.
Algernon – his comments and jokes shaped how I saw the situation.
Lane – I watched how he moved in and out of the scene and reacted silently.
Gwendolen – I imagined how she might see these two men talking about her.
Q3. Double name: “Ernest in town, Jack in the country”
When the double name of Jack/Ernest is revealed, whose inner situation seemed most vivid to you?
Jack – trying to explain himself and keep control of the story.
Algernon – enjoying the discovery and pressing his friend with questions.
Gwendolen – I thought how she would feel if she knew about the double name.
Lady Bracknell – I imagined how she would react to such a story about a future son-in-law.
Q4. Food on the table (sandwiches, bread-and-butter)
When food keeps appearing and disappearing on the table, whose habits or character did you feel you understood better?
The host who eats what was meant for others.
The guest who immediately starts eating with appetite.
The servant who stays calm whatever happens to the food.
The aunt who is expected and talked about before she enters.
Q5. First appearance of Gwendolen and Lady Bracknell
When Gwendolen and Lady Bracknell finally enter the room, who captures your attention more strongly?
— Choose one —
Gwendolen – her way of speaking and moving.
Lady Bracknell – every remark she makes changes the atmosphere.
Algernon – how he behaves differently with his aunt and cousin present.
Jack – his behaviour when the woman he loves is finally in the room.
Q6. The moment of the proposal
During Jack’s attempt to propose and Gwendolen’s reaction, whose feelings did you feel you could “read” more clearly?
Jack – his nervousness and hope.
Gwendolen – her certainty and excitement.
Lady Bracknell – even when absent, her influence on the scene.
Algernon – how he arranges things so the proposal can happen.
Q7. Lady Bracknell interrupts the proposal
When Lady Bracknell finds Jack kneeling and stops the scene, whose position did you feel most sharply?
Lady Bracknell – she takes control and knows exactly what she will allow.
Gwendolen – caught between her mother’s will and her own wish.
Jack – suddenly exposed and judged.
Algernon – observing the situation he himself helped to create.
Q8. The “interview” with Jack
During Lady Bracknell’s long series of questions to Jack (income, age, address, family),
which character did you mostly follow from inside?
— Choose one —
Jack – I imagined how it feels to stand there and answer.
Lady Bracknell – I followed her logic and what she is trying to achieve.
Gwendolen – I thought about what it is like to have your future decided this way.
Algernon – I pictured how he would react to this strict questioning.
Q9. The handbag story
When Jack tells the story of being found in a handbag at Victoria Station, whose reaction
or inner picture felt clearest to you?
Jack – trying to make his strange origin sound reasonable.
Lady Bracknell – shocked by something that breaks her idea of order.
Gwendolen – facing the fact that her chosen man has such a story.
Algernon – hearing this with a mixture of amusement and interest.
Q10. After Lady Bracknell leaves
When Lady Bracknell leaves, refusing the engagement, whose situation stayed most strongly in your mind?
Jack – blocked and helpless for the moment.
Gwendolen – determined to stay faithful in her own way.
Lady Bracknell – completely sure of her decision.
Algernon – already thinking how to use what he has learned.
Q11. Short remark that you remember best
Think of a short remark or sentence from Act One that stayed with you.
To which character does it belong most likely?
— Choose one —
It sounded light, sharp, and a bit playful.
It sounded worried, defensive, or sincere.
It sounded confident and full of strong opinion.
It sounded strict and unexpectedly funny at the same time.
It was very short but said at the right moment.
Q12. At the end of Act One
At the end of Act One, if you had to choose one person whose future you care about most,
who would that be?
Jack – will he manage to fix his situation?
Gwendolen – what will happen with her choice?
Algernon – what will he do with the new information?
Lady Bracknell – how far will she go to keep control?
Lane – how he will continue to live in this household.
Your character attention profile (Act One)
As a rough guide to how much each character is objectively present in Act One
(by lines and time on stage), we can imagine something like: