The Importance of Being Earnest cast, © Justine Matthew
Exclusive: Full casting has been confirmed for the National Theatre’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest, as rehearsals begin.
Oscar Wilde’s treasured comedy about hidden identities, cucumber sandwiches and unexpected romances will open at the Noël Coward Theatre this autumn, in a co-production with Sonia Friedman Productions.
Following a sold-out run at the National Theatre and a cinema broadcast through National Theatre Live (where it starred Ncuti Gatwa and Sharon D Clarke), the show will begin performances on 18 September 2025 and continue until 10 January 2026. Over 20,000 tickets are available for under £30 across the run.
Directed by Max Webster, the production will feature the previously revealed Olly Alexander in the role of Algernon Moncrieff.
Joining him will be 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.
Completing the cast as ensemble and understudy members are Jasmine Kerr, Sam Liu, Gillian McCafferty, Elliot Pritchard and Liv Spencer.
Continues below.
Webster, who recently directed Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse and Life of Pi in both the West End and on Broadway, leads a creative team that includes set and costume designer Rae Smith, lighting designer Jon Clark, sound designer Nicola T Chang, movement director Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, and composer DJ Walde. Additional team members include physical comedy advisor Joyce Henderson, intimacy coordinator Ingrid Mackinnon, casting director Alastair Coomer, and dialect coach Kate Godfrey.
You can listen to Sonia Friedman on a recent episode of the WhatsOnStage Podcast – all for free – here: