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The Importance of Being Earnest Tickets

Olly Alexander & Stephen Fry star in the West End transfer of Wilde's masterpiece

Performance dates

18 September 2025 - 10 January 2026

Run time: 2hrs 45mins

Includes interval

Top Rated Show

Reviewers highly rate this show

4.8

116 reviews

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The National Theatre’s sold-out production of The Importance of Being Earnest transfers to the Noël Coward Theatre this Autumn, in a co-production with Sonia Friedman Productions.

Directed by Max Webster’s (Donmar’s Macbeth; Life of Pi) this joyful and flamboyant reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s ‘glittering masterpiece’ (Telegraph), is a hilarious story of identity, impersonation and romance.

Joining the previously announced Olly Alexander in the role of Algernon Moncrieff will be Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as Jack Worthing, Hugh Dennis as Reverend 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.

Being sensible can be excessively boring. At least Jack thinks so. While assuming the role of dutiful guardian in the country, he lets loose in town under a false identity.

Meanwhile, his friend Algy takes on a similar facade. Unfortunately, living a double life has its drawbacks, especially when it comes to love. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate.

Limited season begins 18 September.

Upcoming Performance Times

Thursday18 September 2025
Friday19 September 2025
Saturday20 September 2025
Monday22 September 2025
Tuesday23 September 2025
Wednesday24 September 2025
Thursday25 September 2025
19:00
19:00
19:00
19:00
19:00
19:00
19:00

Performance Months

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Special notes

Please note: Olly Alexander will not be performing on performances from Friday 7 to Thursday 13 November 2025.

Access

Captioned Performance: 18 November at 7pm, 3 January at 2pm, BSL Signed Performance: 22 November at 2pm , 11 December at 7pm. Audio Described Performance:27 November at 7pm

Recent Reviews

4.8
116 reviews
LORELEI WALLS

As wonderful as I had hoped for, and I did have very high hopes!

Rebecca Bugeja

Great wit and satire. Nailed comedy of manners. Wonderful energy and talent from the performers. Perfectly structured, lovely theatre

Barbara Owens

Brilliantly acted. An exceptionally enjoyable evenings entertainment. Five stars.

Martin Burdick

I was overcharged for our seats and shown on the seating plan that virtually all the seats were taken - this was untrue as there were plenty of unoccupied seats and I could have taken my pick The show was good

Jessica Perez

Really had a good time the acting was superb.

Richard Campbell

This play never gets old. Line delivery and comedic timing were spot on. Excellent evening out.

Eithne Harte

Excellent ! A fantastic production that Oscar Wilde would have loved

Malcolm Harding

An excellent play with a good level of humour. Five stars to all the actors, especially the four lesser known younger characters. David Suchet & Michelle Dotrice delivered as one would expect. A thoroughly entertaining afternoon.

Guillaume Decoret

It was a very fun evening loaded with genuine bursts of laugh! All actors were excellent. Certainly recommendable.

Joyce Both

Allthough I am from Holland, could not understand everything, it was an unforgettable experience.

Anne Parker

Great show - very amusing. An unusual take on the play but worked really well

John Simpson

An excellent and entertaining performance

ON SALE NOW

Opens 18 September 2025

Mon
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7:00 pm
From £18

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