The Importance of Being Earnest

A Handbag left at Victoria Station – an imaginary friend – a wrong name - unrequited love – mistaken identities - and Lady Bracknell! All the ingredients for Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of manners presented by Tread the Boards Theatre Company.

A classic comedy of manners in which two young men create an imaginary friend named Ernest, who is blamed for their own indiscretion's within upper class society. In order to impress two beautiful young ladies they both adopt this alter ego and due to the name of Ernest installing 'absolute confidence' in their prospective partners, both women fall deeply in love. However, the lie is soon hilariously unfurled through the actions of the legendary Lady Bracknell, an ingenious twist of fate and several unforeseen circumstances. It was first performed for the public on 14th February 1895 at the St. James’ Theatre in London, and is regarded by many critics and scholars as being the wittiest play in the English language.