The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest
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 The Importance of Being Earnest About?
Wilde’s much-loved masterpiece throws love, logic and language into the air to make one of theatre’s most dazzling firework displays. Don’t miss the final instalment of Classic Spring’s ‘deliciously charming’ (Sunday Times) Oscar Wilde Season.
Michael Fentiman’s witty new production stars Olivier-Award winner and five-time Oliver-Award nominee Sophie Thompson (Guys and Dolls, Chichester/West End; Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Jeremy Swift (Downton Abbey, ITV), alongside Fiona Button (The Split, BBC), Pippa Nixon (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, RSC) and Stella Gonet (House of Elliot, BBC; Handbagged, Hampstead Theatre/West End).
★★★★★ ‘A MASTERPIECE OF SPARKLING WIT’ - WhatsOnStage
★★★★ ‘BRILLIANTLY FUNNY’ - The Times
★★★★ ‘MAGNIFICENT’ - Sunday Times
★★★★ ‘CHARMING’ - Evening Standard
★★★★ ‘TRIUMPHANT’ - Arts Desk
- Cast
Sophie Thompson, Jeremy Swift, Fiona Button, Pippa Nixon and Stella Gonet
Additional Details & FAQ
- Access Information
For Accessibility information please contact 0330 333 4815
- Cancellation Policy
Tuesday to Saturday, 7:30pm Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 2:30pm
- Requesting a Refund
No exchanges or refunds after purchase.
- Suitable For Children
Age guidance: ages 8 plus
- Where Do I Go
404 Strand, London WC2R 0NH
Reviews
Dana H
Oct 24, 2018
Really great play with a wonderful cast. Great night at the theater!
Brenda
Oct 23, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable play. Clear speaking and great stage presence by all the actors. However, I didn't think it necessary to have same sex kissing and this spoilt it a little for me. But a fabulously funny play and I am so glad I went.
Dean
Oct 11, 2018
We really enjoyed this performance of Oscar Wilde's classic play. Great casting and superb performances all round.
S
Oct 7, 2018
The acting was great, very funny and a great performance.
Sophie
Oct 6, 2018
Entertaining from beginning to end. Lady Bracknell was wonderful. A delightful evening which we would highly recommend
Nixons
Oct 6, 2018
Terrific production. Laugh out loud moments galore. Cast were tremendous, delivery their lines with precision!!
Ralitsa
Oct 6, 2018
Excellent performance. I had great fun!
Becky
Oct 5, 2018
Proper laugh out loud funny. Overall excellent, entertaining, funny performance. The dialogue was delivered quick, sharp, loud, clear and concise and highly enunciated so you could here every word. Every minute was engaging. Highly recommend it.
Linda
Oct 4, 2018
I loved it. Sophie Thompson I thought stole the show, she was just great. The rest of the cast were excellent and great comic timing. Linda
Hannah
Oct 3, 2018
One of the best shows in London! Great actors - had such a laugh!
Lisa Moore
Sep 29, 2018
Loved every minute. brilliant production .
Sgb
Sep 26, 2018
Believable characters with very clear diction.
Angela
Sep 23, 2018
Absolutely amazing, one of the best plays I have seen in London. It was hilarious and the acting was superb. So cleverly written and staged. A must see show!
B
Sep 22, 2018
A fantastic performance. The cast were fantastic and we had amazing seats too. Loved it
Appreciating London Theatre
Sep 20, 2018
It was good show and the audience and I laughed a lot. The characters were fun. Yes perhaps it was bit camp but it did not spoil it for me.
David
Sep 19, 2018
The play is pretty much indestructible, but this is a particularly effervescent production. The cast is having a great time, and it’s infectious. Quick-witted and smart, the evening was just delightful.
Giulia
Sep 15, 2018
Humorous, brilliant show. The energy of the actors made this play fun as ever.
Janet Tufner
Sep 14, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyed this production. First class cast delivered the story impeccably. Well worth a trip to London Janet Turner
Adam
Sep 14, 2018
A lovely performance, especially from Jack and Ms Fairfax. Extremely funny, especially the exchanges between Ms Fairfax and Ms Cardew. Use of silhouettes in pose behind the screen at the end was also a nice touch. Recommended!
Gillian
Sep 13, 2018
A wonderful fun filled night at the theatre, a fantastic performance by all the cast, especially the priceless Sophie Thompson.
Brian Coleman
Sep 13, 2018
Wholly miscast . How a black actor could be taken to be Jack's Brother I do not know . Lady Bracknell far too young . Servants role rather silly . Appalling over acting by Jack .
Alison
Sep 12, 2018
One of the best plays of all time, but in my opinion not presented well here, such a disappointment after the last three. The set was weak and inappropriate, the delivery was generally too fast and the added extras weren’t appropriate.
Teresa
Sep 12, 2018
Superb cast and as a person with some hearing loss able to hear every word
Teresa
Sep 12, 2018
Superb cast and as a person with some hearing loss able to hear every word
Teresa Leach
Sep 12, 2018
A wonderful adaptation of Wilde’s amazing and witty dialogue. Excellent performance, sharp, very funny and full of energy. An evening to remember!
Gregg
Sep 7, 2018
Great cast and a great pace to this comedy!
The couple from Tunbridge Wells :-)
Sep 6, 2018
Evidently, the times that we thought were simpler were not at all simple, life is complicated, in a very funny way... We loved it!
Elizabeth
Sep 1, 2018
Hilarious and well acted - a great evening out. Wonderful cast and staging. A super introduction to Oscar Wilde for my 11 year old. Lady Bracknell was outstanding.
A. E. Kahtan
Aug 15, 2018
Many of the jokes still worked, despite absence of scatological humour. Indeed, not every comedy needs scatological humour. I wasn't expecting Algernon to be played by an actor of Afric heritage, but I still like the acting choice nonetheless. The jokes were well-executed, including "Bunbury is quite exploded", and the actress playing Lady Bracknell lends the role a touch of originality (her delivery of the iconic "A handbag?!" is much more restrained than other actresses in the role), and the actor playing Jack lends the role a touch of abrasiveness unequalled by any other in the role. If there is one complaint I can find, it's that the second act is slower than the first, and it may be confusing for some.
Jonathan
Aug 15, 2018
Excellent, very entertaining, and different to previous productions
Jenni Hallam
Aug 12, 2018
Great production- fast paced and full of energy. The story gallops along with the actors making the best of every opportunity to display the foibles of their characters.
MCK1
Aug 10, 2018
I decided to take my daughter for her first ever Oscar Wilde and the play did not disappoint. Snappy dialogue, a few new turns, good acting, loads of laughs.
Pamela Barnes
Aug 9, 2018
Excellent show well done
Jo
Aug 9, 2018
Really enjoyed it and have already recommended the play to all my friends and family. The actors were brilliant, a top performance.
Angela
Aug 5, 2018
Loved the show . Lovely clean witty true to life comedy . Great story - a must to see
Cristina
Aug 1, 2018
Great
Jeannie
Jul 29, 2018
My expectations were to high., as I was remembering both the films that were released as a reference. The first act I found stilted and disappointing. The second act was better however. Why oh why did they have all this kissing going on (men on men!!!) throughout the play. A shame.
Nora
Jul 28, 2018
The Importance of Being Earnest is my absolute favourite feel good play. This is a wonderful production, very pacy, never flags. Sophie Thompson was born to play Lady Bracknell. Jack and Miss Prism were terrific too. All the actors speak very clearly so there's no danger of missing any of Oscar Wilde's witty dialogue. I really loved this production. Don't miss it!
BNCB
Jul 28, 2018
This production cracks along at a terrific pace and is beautifully presented. A fun evening out. Well worth seeing
Dansmum
Jul 27, 2018
great production, excellent performances from all actors, especially Sophie Thompson as Lady Bracknell.
johnalbert 2001
Jul 23, 2018
The play was very good and the acting brilliant, unfortunately, it took a lot of effort to comprehend how two brothers can be of different colour
Dr. Kenneth Wolfe
Jul 21, 2018
Alas, the parts were spoken far too quickly and often the volume contrasts between e.g. Lady Bracknell's louder and softer expressions left one unsure of the latter. Very often the actor faced backstage and thus the words were muffled. Also a 'slapstick' - and totally out of character with OW's writing - with feeding with bread and the most inelegant cake at the table; clumsy and crude. There was litle hint of the nineteenth century atmosphere that OW intended to convey and elegantly deride. Out of ten six - quite out of kilter with the previous plays in this series. Pity.