Hit interactive twist on this classic comedy to visit Swansea Grand Theatre

Swansea Grand Theatre, Singleton Street, Swansea, SA1 3QJ

Thursday, 21 March – Saturday, 23 March 2024, 7:30PM (+ 2:30PM on Sat)

Praise for The Importance of Being… Earnest? 

“A delightfully interactive, uproariously funny approximation of a familiar script. This show is a feast for theatre-goers of all levels of experience” ★★★★★ The Skinny

“a magical, once-in-a-lifetime ephemeral experience. A must see of the Fringe”

★★★★★ Theatre Scotland

“iIrresistible as a performance, guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of even the greatest of improv-phobic curmudgeons” ★★★★ The Scotsman

“Comedy genius…. get this on the west end now!” ★★★★★ Lost in Theatreland

“Each performance was so strong fast paced, highly energetic, yet also had the perfect amount of stillness to enable Wilde’s aristocratic satire to come to life.” ★★★★★ Broadway Baby

“The production marries together the genuine spontaneity of Austentatious with the sensibilities and structure of The Play That Goes Wrong, offering a production that is simultaneously meticulously planned and completely improvised…” ★★★★ A Younger Theatre

After a phenomenally critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe run in 2022, and previous London Fringe theatre success, the hugely popular ‘The Importance of Being… Earnest?’ is embarking on a UK tour, and will play Swansea Grand Theatre on Thursday, 21 March – Saturday, 23 March 2024.

Trailer can be found here: https://youtu.be/pq-oXjgn6AE 

In this riotous twist on a much-loved classic the show opens to looming disaster; the actor playing Ernest in Oscar Wilde’s famed farce fails to arrive on cue. In a monumental effort to ‘save the show’, a real audience member is quickly cast in the lead role. 

But this impetuous recasting sets off a hilarious chain of events that, one-by-one, renders the rest of the cast unable to continue their performances.

As more audience members are encouraged to step into the spotlight, led backstage for costume and make-up, impromptu auditions, the painting of portraits, the chanting of mantras; doing whatever’s needed to help the show go on, an absurd controlled madness ensues – until it feels as if there are almost as many audience members in the cast as there are in the … audience.

This is a comedic masterpiece of meticulous logistics, meritoriously involved audiences, masterful stage management and celebrity cameos. The Importance of Being… Earnest? Is an exciting and hilarious experience both to watch and be part of as the innovative format creates an unexpected new experience every night. It’s a show for anyone who has enjoyed the high-jinx of The Play That Goes Wrong, Sh!t-Faced Shakespeare and Austentatious. 

Developed alongside the company’s flagship open-rehearsal initiative, where audiences are invited into the rehearsal room to participate in the creative process, the show is written by Josh King, Simon Paris and Say It Again, Sorry?, and is directed by Simon Paris.

The company’s vision is for the public to recover ownership over their own creative power and contribute to the future of theatre as active participants, collaborators, and decision-makers. Their aim is to connect people to their inner artist and inspire creative expression in everybody.

More praise for the show

“a lot of fun, both in how it uses its audience members and how it gives its own actors characters, arcs and jokes to play with throughout the show” ★★★★ North West End UK

“Downright entertaining. Slapstick comedy, misplaced props and scripts, and an intentional lack of cohesion among the cast and crew will have you chuckling every time” ★★★★ Broadway Baby

“A masterclass in comedic theatre” ★★★★★ North West End UK (London 2021)

“An entirely unique, unpredictable and hilarious form of audience participation” ★★★★★ Ask the Ushers (London 2021)

The Importance of Being…Earnest? Swansea Q&A

The hugely popular play, The Importance of Being…Earnest?–unique for its interactive, riotous twist on Oscar Wilde’s famed farce–will come to Grand Theatre Swansea on Thursday 21st March–Saturday 23rd March 2024

Creative director Simon Paris shares insight into what audiences can expect from this phenomenally critically acclaimed show

What makes The Importance of Being…Earnest? different from a typical performance of Oscar Wilde’s classic farce?

Our version of Earnest is very different in that we are presenting a traditional take of the play until the lead actor playing Ernest Worthing fails to arrive. The director then casts a real audience member, gets them into a microphone and costume, and they play Ernest for the whole show. Throughout the show,the rest of the cast drop out one by one and are all replaced with audience members. It is completely as mad as it sounds.

How did you first come up with the concept?

…Earnest?came about through the idea of offering unsuspecting audience members the chance to step out of their comfort zone, take a risk and become a star. We have noticed that the audience members who decide to volunteer to perform in our show become local legends for the rest of the festival and are regularly spotted by other audience members.

How do you keep the audience members‘on script’?

Audience members generally read what’s on the script-if they have any script at all. And if not, the cast are incredibly gifted at accepting and embracing the wonderful curve balls that the audience members often throw at them. We don’t particularly have an exact show we are trying to recreate every night, rather, we offer audience members opportunities to shine and when they do, it feels like real magic is created.

What’s the most unexpected performance an audience member has given?

There’s always something unique, weird and wonderful about every show we do, but sometimes we do get someone who really goes out on a limb. We once had a man attempt to deliver his lines while crawling underneath Lady Bracknell’s skirt. We’ve had random mass singalongs to Queen and audience members spontaneously kiss mid-scene.

Do audience members have to get involved if they’d prefer not to?

All of the audience participation in…Earnest? Is completely voluntary. The show is equally fun to getup on-stage, as it is to watch others volunteer and join the fun.

What’s the typical reaction from audiences?

It’s incredible to see so many returning audience members,sometimes up to 10 times. The secret ingredient is the true level of risk and danger that the show invites. Every night it feels like opening night as we truly can’t predict what is going to happen and who is going to end up joining us on stage and audiences seem to not be able to get enough of that.

What do you hope audiences take away from The Importance of Being…Earnest??

We often speak to audience members after the show and a recurring theme is that the people who volunteer are often the ones who have sworn to never get onstage, but in the heat of the moment they take a leap of faith, put their hand up, perform in the show and have a great time. The main take-away is that just a few seconds of being brave and taking a chance can lead you to the most magical adventures and make amazing memories.

If Oscar Wilde were to come and see your play, what do you think he would make of it?

I think Oscar would relish in artists taking his work and having fun with it in the most irreverent way possible. I’m sure he’d walk out of the theatre and say some incredibly droll one-liner, like, ‘I used to think the biggest tragedy for art was to be ignored, but now I see it is to be adapted”.

Why should audiences come to see“The Importance of Being…Earnest?”

If there was one reason to come to our show, it’s to see our lead actor’s performance. Believe me, the person playing Ernest is a real hidden talent, a star in the making and a future household name.They’re going to blow you away… once we find out who they are.

How would you describe The Importance of Being…Earnest? in three words?

Hilarious. Irreverent. Magical.

The Importance of Being…Earnest? will play at Grand Theatre Swansea on Thursday 21st March–Saturday 23rd March 2024 To book, visit https://www.swanseagrand.co.uk/Earnest