Further casting set for 'The Importance of Being Earnest' in the West End
Find out who's joining Olly Alexander in the West End transfer of Oscar Wilde's comedy play, first directed by Max Webster to critical acclaim in autumn 2024.
Update: The full cast has been set, with Jasmine Kerr, Sam Liu, Gillian McCafferty, Elliot Pritchard, and Liv Spencer joining as ensemble and understudy members.
Further casting has been named for The Importance of Being Earnest in the West End, playing at the Noël Coward Theatre from 18 September 2025 until 10 January 2026.
Joining the previously announced Olly Alexander as Algernon Moncrieff are 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."
Directed by Max Webster, this reimagined production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest follows two men who adopt false identities to be able to let loose, which complicates matters when they meet two young women and must navigate their web of lies.
Max Webster said: “Oscar Wilde was a master of elegance, rebellion, and razor-sharp wit. With this cast – led by the audacious brilliance of Olly Alexander, the hugely captivating Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and the legendary Stephen Fry as Lady Bracknell – we’re embracing the play’s subversive heart in a way that feels utterly now. I’d like to think Wilde would be delighted – and perhaps even a little scandalised – by this bold, joyful take on his most iconic comedy.”
The Importance of Being Earnest creative team also features set and costume designer Rae Smith, lighting designer Jon Clark, sound designer Nicola T. Chang, movement director Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, and composer DJ Walde.
Book The Importance of Being Earnest tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.
Photo credit: Olly Alexander, Hugh Dennis, Stephen Fry, Shobna Gulati, Hayley Carmichael, Jessica Whitehurst, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Kitty Hawthorne. (Photos courtesy of production)
Frequently asked questions
What is The Importance of Being Earnest about?
Be brought back into the world of Oscar Wilde’s most timeless comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Max Webster (The Life of Pi, Macbeth, To Kill a Mockingbird), this beloved comedy is being revived at the Noël Coward Theatre. See BAFTA nominated Olly Alexander (Peter and Alice, Mercury Fur, The Aliens) as Algernon Moncrieff.
Where is The Importance of Being Earnest playing?
The Importance of Being Earnest is playing at Noël Coward Theatre. The theatre is located at 85-88 St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4AU.
How long is The Importance of Being Earnest?
The running time of The Importance of Being Earnest is 2hr 45min. Incl. 1 interval.
How do you book tickets for The Importance of Being Earnest?
Book tickets for The Importance of Being Earnest on London Theatre.
Who wrote The Importance of Being Earnest?
Oscar Wilde is the playwright.
Who directed The Importance of Being Earnest?
Max Webster stages the show.
Is The Importance of Being Earnest appropriate for kids?
There is not currently an age guideline for The Importance of Being Earnest but please note that it contains strong language, as well as themes and scenes of suggestive content.
Is The Importance of Being Earnest good?
The Importance of Being Earnest is Wilde’s most celebrated comedy, having enraptured audiences for over a century, and has earned its rightful place as a beloved show. This re-staging pairs his poignant writing with Max Webster’s invigorating vision, boasting an extraordinary cast that includes BAFTA-nominated Olly Alexander (Peter and Alice, Mercury Fur, The Aliens) and national treasure Stephen Fry, who makes his return to the West End as Lady Bracknell.
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