Starring Edward Fox, Freddie Fox and Frances Barber.

Classic Spring is a new theatre company, formed by Dominic Dromgoole (former Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre) to celebrate the bold and ground breaking work of proscenium playwrights in the architecture for which they wrote. 

“Launched with a flourish” (The Sunday Times), Classic Spring’s Oscar Wilde Season promises to cast new light on Wilde's ground-breaking work, showing how more than a century on, he still strikes to the heart of social scandal.

 

What Is An Ideal Husband About?

The Rolls-Royce of English comedies, Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, brings an act of political sin into the heart of the English home.

An ambitious government minister, Sir Robert Chiltern’s smooth ascent to the top seems assured. Until Mrs Cheveley appears in London with damning proof of his previous financial chicanery.

★★★★ ‘Fantastic Mr Foxes’ - The Times
★★★★ ‘A delicious double act’ - Independent
★★★★ ‘Incredibly funny’ - Telegraph
★★★★ ‘Absolutely superb’ - Times
★★★★ ‘Masterful performances’ - Evening Standard

Cast

Edward Fox will play the Earl of Caversham. He is best known for his performance at The Day of the Jackal and Edward & Mrs. Simpson (ITV). Screen credits also include A Bridge Too Far, The Dresser, and Gandhi.

Freddie Fox will play Lord Goring. He played in The Judas Kiss, opposite Rupert Everett (Hampstead Theatre, West End). Other credits include Travesties (Menier Chocolate Factory, West End), Cucumber (Channel 4), Banana (E4), Boy George (BBC) and The Three Musketeers. 

Frances Barber plays Mrs. Cheveley. Best-known for her role as Caroline Warwick in Silk (BBC), her many screen and stage credits include Mr. Holmes, Vicious (ITV), and Death in Paradise (BBC), Antony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare’s Globe), Arkadina in The Seagull (RSC), and Julius in Phyllida Lloyd’s all-female Julius Caesar (Donmar Warehouse).

Duration

2 hrs & 45 mins including the interval

 

Additional Details & FAQ

Suitable For Children

Ages 8+

Where Do I Go

404 Strand, London WC2R 0NH

Reviews

4.5(50 reviews)
  • Austin S.

    Jul 14, 2018

    Extremely well acted and very humorous. The very articulate cast has a wonderful time with the inherent comic contradictions of Oscar Wilde. Very much worth seeing and completely engaging from the first moment to the final curtain.

  • Mrs Walker

    Jul 8, 2018

    All I really knew about Oscar Wilde beforehand were the well-known sayings. Having read the reviews I thought I'd go along. What an excellent show, full of comedy and, of course, excellent acting. I'm really enlightened and will be attending further Wilde shows. Thank you to all.

  • Gregor

    Jul 6, 2018

    The first act desperately need to be cut down by about 30 mins. It drags on entirely too long. The blocking leaves something to be desired in a dialogue heavy play. The show’s saving grace is the second act when Freddie Fox’s character takes over. He and his father seemed to be only ones having fun in their roles. The other actors needed to find more moments to help define their characters—specifically reacting to all the dialogue.

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