Reimagined by director Max Webster, Oscar Wilde's joyful and flamboyant comedy will head to the National Theatre for a limited run beginning next month.
As rehearsals begin, the full cast for The Importance of Being Earnest has been announced.
A comedic play, The Importance of Being Earnest looks at Victorian society's obsession with social conventions, particularly particularly the institution of marriage and the significance of names. The story revolves around two protagonists, Jack and Algernon, who create fictitious identities to escape their social responsibilities, leading to humorous misunderstandings and ultimately exposing the absurdity of their societal norms.
Rounding out the cast are ensemble members Shereener Browne (The Effect), Jasmine Kerr (Follies), Gillian McCafferty (The Rise & Fall of Little Voice), Elliot Pritchard (Museum of Austerity) and John Vernon (Coriolanus). They join previously announced cast members Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ (Blues for an Alabama Sky)as Gwendolen Fairfax, Julian Bleach (Doctor Who) as Lane and Merriman, Richard Cant (Stan & Ollie) as Reverend Canon Chasuble, Sharon D Clarke (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)as Lady Bracknell, Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who) as Algernon Moncrieff, Amanda Lawrence (Star Wars: Episode – IX The Rise of Skywalker) as Miss Prism, Eliza Scanlen (Little Women) as Cecily Cardew and Hugh Skinner (W1A) as Jack Worthing.
The Importance of Being Earnest runs in the Lyttelton Theatre from 21 November 2024 to 25 January 2025,
