The critically acclaimed 'bold and brash Wilde reboot' (The Times) transfers to the West End for a limited season starting in September.
Stephen Fry, Jessica Whitehurst, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Shobna Gulati. Headshots provided by production.
Max Webster directs a joyful and flamboyant reimagining of Oscar Wilde's most celebrated comedy. It heads to the West End following a triumphant run at the Lyttelton Theatre, which wrapped up in January.
Joining Olly Alexander, who plays the role of Algernon Moncrieff, is Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Jack Worthing, Hugh Dennis as Rev. Canon Chasuble, Shobna Gulati as Miss Prism, Kitty Hawthorne as Gwendolen Fairfax, Jessica Whitehurst as Cecily Cardew, Hayley Carmichael as Merriman/Lane, and Stephen Fry as Lady Bracknell.
Stephen Fry said:
"I was delighted to be asked by Max Webster to join his jubilant National Theatre production and play the formidable Lady Bracknell in the West End. Oscar Wilde has been a hugely important figure in my life and career and The Importance of Being Earnest is a play that changed my life when I first saw it aged 10. It made me understand what language can do and absolutely transported me. Wilde is a beacon to people who still believe in open thinking and adventuring with the mind and spirit."
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.
The Importance of Being Earnest plays at the Noel Coward Theatre from 18 September 2025 to 10 January 2026. It follows The Comedy About Spies which runs to 5 September.
