
The Importance of Being Earnest Tickets
Olly Alexander & Stephen Fry star in the West End transfer of Wilde's masterpiecePerformance dates
18 September 2025 - 10 January 2026
Run time: 2hrs 45mins
Includes interval
Top Rated Show
Reviewers highly rate this show
116 reviews
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The Importance of Being Earnest London tickets
The National Theatre’s sold-out production of The Importance of Being Earnest transfers to the Noël Coward Theatre for a strictly limited run. Starring It’s a Sin’s Olly Alexander and the one and only Stephen Fry, don’t miss this dazzling revival of Wilde’s classic comedy in the heart of the West End.
About The Importance of Being Earnest
Being sensible can be excessively boring - just ask Jack. While he plays the part of a responsible guardian in the countryside, he lives a secret life of indulgence in the city under an assumed name.
His friend Algy is no stranger to deception either. But when both men use aliases to pursue romance, their tangled lies threaten to unravel everything. With mistaken identities, sharp wit, and unexpected twists, this sparkling satire of Victorian society is a timeless comedy of manners and mischief.
It’s worth the applause!
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A sparkling new production” - Daily Mail
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Effervescent, exuberant, and proudly loud” - Broadway World
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Oscar Wilde’s glittering masterpiece” The Telegraph
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Wilde would be wild about this production” - Guardian
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “A radical reinvention of a 19th century classic” - Evening Standard
- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Sublimely mischievous” - Time Out
The Importance of Being Earnest cast
- Algernon Moncrieff - Olly Alexander
- Jack Worthing – Nathan Stewart-Jarrett
- Rev. Canon Chasuble – Hugh Dennis
- Miss Prism – Shobna Gulati
- Gwendolen Fairfax – Kitty Hawthorne
- Cecily Cardew – Jessica Whitehurst
- Merriman/Lane – Hayley Carmichael
- Lady Bracknell – Stephen Fry
The Importance of Being Earnest creatives
- Director - Max Webster
- Book - Oscar Wilde
Upcoming Performance Times
- Saturday25 October 2025
- 19:00
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 7pmRecent Reviews
Latest The Importance of Being Earnest News

News / Features / New Shows + Transfers
The Importance of Being Earnest Character Guide
Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest returns to London this autumn, transferring from its sold-out run at the National Theatre. Directed by Max Webster in a co-production with Sonia Friedman Productions, this sparkling revival brings Wilde’s wit and social satire to the Noël Coward Theatre, combining humour, romance, and a touch of mischief!
15 Aug, 2025 | By Hay Brunsdon

News / Features / Casting / New Shows + Transfers
Stephen Fry to star as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest in the West End
The National Theatre has confirmed further casting for the West End transfer of its widely praised production of The Importance of Being Earnest.
Already announced in the role of Algernon Moncrieff is Olly Alexander. He’ll now be joined by 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.
Described by The Times as a “bold and brash Wilde reboot” (★★★★), this riotous reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s most famous comedy will play a strictly limited run at the Noël Coward Theatre from 18 September 2025 to 10 January 2026.
31 Jul, 2025 | By Hay Brunsdon

Features / Videos
Vlog: 5 Shows You MUST See This Summer!
Today, blogger and vlogger Shaun Nolan talks us through the top 5 shows that he thinks you should go and catch on the West End this summer, including Green Day’s American Idiot, The Importance of Being Earnest starring Poirot’s David Suchet and the London premiere of Kinky Boots. Have any other ideas of shows people should be seeing this summer?
30 Jul, 2015 | By Shaun Nolan

Reviews / Features
Review: The Importance Of Being Earnest Soon To Transfer To The West End's Vaudeville
Whilst I am an avid West End fan I also love to support my local theatre's one of which is the Mayflower Southampton. We get the privilege of seeing some fabulous touring companies and this particular play, The Importance Of Being Earnest starring David Suchet arrives at London's Vaudeville Theatre on the 24th June for a limited season. So what follows are my views from my recent visit to my local theatre.
10 Jun, 2015 | By Caroline Hanks-Farmer
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