Rehearsals are underway for London's National Theatre revival of Oscar Wilde’s flamboyant comedy The Importance of Being Earnest. Reimagined by director Max Webster (Macbeth, Life of Pi), the show will run November 21–January 25, 2025.
As previously announced, the cast will feature 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, Death of a Salesman) 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.
Ensemble members include Shereener Browne (The Effect), Jasmine Kerr (Follies), Gillian McCafferty (The Rise & Fall of Little Voice), Elliot Pritchard (Museum of Austerity), and John Vernon (Coriolanus).
Go inside rehearsals in the gallery below.
Webster's production will feature set and costume design by Rae Smith, lighting design by Jon Clark, sound design by Nicola T. Chang, music by DJ Walde, hair and make-up design by Adele Brandman, and movement direction by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. The physical comedy advisor is Joyce Henderson, intimacy coordinator is Ingrid Mackinnon, dialect coach is Hazel Holder, and voice coach is Shereen Ibrahim. Casting is by Alastair Coomer and Chloe Blake.
The production will be filmed and released to movie theatres February 20, 2025 via National Theatre Live. Visit NTLive.com.