The Importance Of Being Earnest (2025)

Info on RoCo's 2025 production of the Oscar Wilde classic, The Importance Of Being Earnest.

The Importance Of Being Earnest
by Oscar Wilde
Performed; 20th-22nd November 2025
Produced by Andrew Lamb​​​​​​​
Cast 'X'
(on Thu.20th & Friday 21st)
Jack Worthing – Lloyd Coulson
Algernon Moncrieff – Stephen Bartlewska-Brown
Gwendolen Fairfax – Katherine Gilboy
Cecily Cardew – Alice Rayner
Lady Bracknell – Kathryn Wilkinson
Miss Prism – Michelle Whitaker
Rev. Canon Chasuble – Simon Kirchin
Merriman – Charlotte Wild
Lane – Tira Teague
Cast 'Y'
(on Sat.22nd)
Jack Worthing – Lloyd Coulson
Algernon Moncrieff – Stephen Bartlewska-Brown
Gwendolen Fairfax – Elena Strefford-Caine
Cecily Cardew – Jess Collins
Lady Bracknell – Mary Shalvey
Miss Prism – Michaela Marden
Rev. Canon Chasuble – Simon Kirchin
Merriman – Charlotte Wild
Lane – Tira Teague
Production
Director - Andrew Lamb
Assist. Director - Katherine Gilboy
Technical Supervisor – Stephen Bartlewska-Brown
Tech. Operators – Katherine Gilboy and Elena Strefford-Caine
Music – Elena Strefford-Caine
Costumes – Mary Shalvey & the company.
Hair & Make-Up – the company.
Set Design – Andrew Lamb
Props – Andrew Lamb & the company.
Prompts – Katherine Gilboy and Elena Strefford-Caine
Stage Crew – Alistair Babbington, John Baillie, Jess Collins, Katherine Gilboy, Andrew Lamb, Brian Marston, Michael Payne, Alice Rayner, Mary Shalvey, Elena Strefford-Caine, and Kathryn Wilkinson
Publicity Artwork & Materials – Andrew Lamb
Theatre Management
Box Office Supervisor – Andrew Lamb
Box Office Assistants - Mary Shalvey, Kathryn Wilkinson and Eleanor Wood
Front of House Manager – Charis Varnavides
Stewards & Bar Staff – Harriet-Lee Glover, Claire Kennedy, Karen Lamb, Rachel Lowe, Brian Marston, Jill Marston, Shona Parker, Leon Prager, Bronwen Robinson, Mary Shalvey, Sheila Telfer and Kathryn Wilkinson
First Aiders – John Burgess, Max Dudley and Helen Lewis
RoCo wishes to thank all those members and friends who have helped to make this production possible.
"I have rarely missed a performance myself in over 25 years, but have to say that Thursday's performance of "Earnest" was one of the very best I have seen - and that bar is already pretty high! Wilde is technically very demanding. Facial expression, body language, tone of voice and timing are as crucial as the dialogue itself. Every single member of the cast was absolutely superb in all respects. You barely missed a beat between you, and are to be congratulated not only on the performance, but the dedication and commitment that has gone into it. I include in that the director/producer, and all the other behind the scenes team. Over the years, I have never ceased to be extremely impressed that a relatively small local amateur group consistently punches way above your weight in the delivery of the highest quality productions. It is a group of very talented people. Please may I ask you to ensure that my sentiments are shared with all concerned - it is thoroughly deserved. I can't wait for the next production! Very best wishes to you all!"
– David Hughes
Synopsis
A farcical comedy depicting the tangled affairs of two young 'men about town' who lead double lives to evade unwanted social obligations, both assuming the name 'Ernest' while wooing the two young women of their affections.
A Trivial Comedy For Serious People...
The Importance Of Being Earnest is a farcical comedy depicting the tangled affairs of two young men who lead double lives to evade unwanted social obligations, both assuming the name ‘Ernest’ while wooing the two young women of their affections.
It is the last of Oscar Wilde’s four drawing-room plays, following Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892), A Woman Of No Importance (1893) and An Ideal Husband (1895). It was first performed on 14th February 1895 at the St James’s Theatre in London. The plays successful opening night also marked the climax of Wilde’s career and was followed within weeks by his downfall. The Marquess of Queensberry, whose son Lord Alfred Douglas was Wilde’s lover, unsuccessfully schemed to throw a bouquet of rotten vegetables at the playwright at the end of the performance. This feud led to a series of legal trials which resulted in the revelation of Wilde’s homosexual private life, ending with his conviction and imprisonment in May 1895.
Despite IOBE’s early success, Wilde’s disgrace caused it to be closed that same month after eighty six performances. After his release from prison in 1897 he published the play from exile in Paris, but he wrote no more comic or dramatic works thereafter. IOBE was not seen again in London until after Wilde’s death in 1900. It returned to the West End when a revival was presented at the St James’s in 1902. From the early 20th century to the present day, the play has been revived frequently.
The Original Four Act Version
Originally written in four acts, IOBE was cut down to three when first produced to provide time for the obligatory curtain raiser of that era, at the behest of actor/manager George Alexander of the St James’s Theatre. Wilde complied and subsequently condensed and combined elements of Acts II and III. The largest cut was the removal of the character of Mr Gribsby, a solicitor who comes from London to serve a writ on the profligate ‘Ernest Worthing’ for unpaid dining bills at the Savoy Hotel.
In 1903 a Leipzig publisher issued a German translation of the four act play and from it the original English version, which was successfully produced at London’s Old Vic, was reconstructed. However, since it’s première and subsequent revivals, it is the three act version of IOBE that has been typically performed and thus become the most recognised version by audiences.
Feature Film Adaptations
Besides many adaptations across radio and television, IOBE has been adapted for cinema on three occasions. The first of which was in 1952 starring Michael Redgrave, Michael Denison, Joan Greenwood, Dorothy Tutin, Edith Evans and Margaret Rutherford. In 1992 it was adapted for the screen with an all-black cast that included CCH Pounder and Brock Peters. Although it was set around London and retained most of Wilde’s dialogue, it was moved to the (then) present day of 1992. In 2002 it was adapted once again in a British-American co-production, starring Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Frances O’Connor, Reese Witherspoon, Tom Wilkinson, Edward Fox, Anna Massey and Judi Dench.
RoCo & Being Earnest
RoCo has performed IOBE before, staging the play in November 1989. It was RoCo’s 50th production. It was produced by Doreen Galbraith and Sheila Telfer, and starred Paul Nickson, Adrian Widdowson, Doreen Galbraith, Andrea Varnavides, Janet Johnston, Mu Hyett, Geoff Ellis, Ian McKenzie and Brian Langford. You can read up more on the production here
Photo Gallery
Browse a selection of photos taken during the rehearsals of The Importance Of Being Earnest, along with a selection of the publicity and pre-visualisation artwork produced for the production.
The Poster
Finale Cast Photos
Rehearsals
August - November 2025
Tech Rehearsal
Saturday 15th Nov.2025
Dress Rehearsal 1
Sunday 16th Nov.2025
Dress Rehearsal 2
Tuesday 18th Nov.2025
Pre-Viz
A selection of pre-visualisation artwork, produced by Andrew Lamb in preparation for the production, including Storyboards and conceptual artwork.
Publicity Artwork
A selection of publicity visuals produced for the production.
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