There is nothing quite like Wilde. His most enduringly popular play is a masterclass in comic timing, social satire, and the peculiar absurdity of Victorian manners — and this new touring production from Headlong Theatre captures every ounce of its wit.
Jack Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff are two gentlemen of leisure whose tangled web of fictional identities unravels spectacularly when they both decide to be christened 'Ernest'. With the formidable Lady Bracknell standing between them and happiness, only the truth — and a well-placed handbag — can save the day.
Director Toby Frow relocates the action to a sun-drenched 1920s garden party, with period jazz, flowing champagne, and costumes that would make the Bright Young Things weep with envy. The result is a joyous, fleet-footed production that reminds us why Wilde remains the undisputed king of comedy.
'Exquisite comic timing and a cast clearly having the time of their lives' — The Stage
