The Importance Of Being Earnest Reviews

A must see! by Norman

It took me a while to realise it was a play about a theatre company who were rehearsing The Importance of being Ernest but once I fell in it was fantastic. What a cast!! They were all brilliant.

Delightful twist on a classic play by Squid

We saw a recent matinee of this show and enjoyed it immensely. It was a very clever "twist" on a well-known play.

A very enjoyable show by philip

A slightly different theme to a very old classic show.

An adaptation with added material by Robert

After reading not so good reviews on this adaptation I went with an open mind and actually had no problems with it. Reviewers belittled the fact that the two ageing male principal parts were playing much younger men and that new up to date material had been added. None of these detracted me from the play. Martin Jarvis was on top form as was Nigel Havers and I cannot really criticise any member of the cast. Jarvis' wife, Rosalind Ayes played a good Miss Prism . One cannot end without mentioning the great Sian Philips as Lady Bracknell and her famous words "a handbag". A very entertaining show and after leaving the theatre I heard many in the audience raving about it. It's worth seeing!

Nice Twist by Hann

I bought the tickets primarily because of the cast. I decided to bring my children and give them their first Wilde experience. Only after having done that I read that the play was not just the original Wilde one but actually it was a play about a cast that plays The Importance of being Earnest. I was a bit worried that it would not be the greatest opportunity to expose my children to Wilde being a "tampered" version. However, I loved it. The Wilde lines were all there and immaculately delivered (as can be expected from a top notch cast) but also the twist was very refreshing and loyal to the spirit of the play. Loved it. Ms Phillips is a fantastic Lady Bracknell

Terrifically good fun by Aileen

It was an unexpected pleasure and reminded me so much of amdrams I have been involved with with the same cate of characters!

Importance of being a well produced show by Lynda

The show was extremely well produced, well acted and thoroughly enjoyable. I have seen 'The Importance of Being Earnest' around a dozen times as it is a firm favorite of mine and this version was the best yet. The modern slant didn't detract from the original play and actually added something to it. There is always a tension in the audience about how the 'handbag' line would be delivered and this version overcomes that brilliantly early on in the play.The cast seemed to be enjoying themselves as well which always adds something special to a production. Well done everyone. This review will not let you complete and send it without rating the music but there wasn't any music in the show - if there had been any I am sure it would have been excellent too.

Lovely new take on an old favourite

A Traditional Play with a Difference by Bryan

A very novel idea to Am Dram this production with the ages of the cast adding to the the amateur feel. However, for those sitting to the rear of the theatre on the balconies the voice projection at times left a lot to be desired, especially from Nigel Havers and Rosalind Ayres. Nevertheless, a gentle and enjoyable production.

Amusing

Fabulous play

ny review by Debby

loved the show. a really interesting production on a much known and loved play.

by Phil

The Pinter theatre is a very compact and friendly place; we were in the dress circle and had a great view of everything. Facilities are pretty good, although its the first time I've ever seen a queue for the gents! ice creams are a little steep @ £4.50 for a small tub; (other theatres are £3). Plenty of restaurant choices within a 3 min walk. Play was very good and very slick, but then the quality of the cast was exceptional with the likes of Ayres, Havers & Jarvis. Most enjoyable evening… Play finished at 9:50 and I was back home in Buckinghamshire by 11:10. Excellent evening.

Replacement cast?!! by Richard

When we read the programme before curtain up we thought that none of the people we had hoped to see in the play were performing that night...we fell for that one hook line and sinker...enough said for those who haven't seen the Bunbury Company of Players! You will not be disappointed.

The show would have been better if it had stuck to Wilde's words. The adaptation was embarrassing. Virtually all the actors were MUCH too old.

Cleverly written and brilliantly performed by Robert

A witty and cleverly written seamless blending of present day and the classic Oscar Wild play richly enhanced by masterly performances.

by Robert Evans

Great fund,star cast really enjoying themselves

Great Night Out by Mavis

Saw it first 30 years ago and now even better, certainly worth the trip from Durham!

Great Fun Show by Geoff

Fantastic natural acting to support brilliant use of English in funny story.

IOBE is never boring by aria

old fashioned 'proper' fun. A storyline that never leaves you cold. A great cast ! Interesting new approach to the story

by Astrid

The show was fantastic. Als someone from "Europe" I was a little irritated by the behaviour of other people around me drinking and eating crunchy things out of crunchy bags.

by Dawn

Very funny

The Importance is supurb by Susan

The Importance of Being Ernest is a wonderful play and a masterful text to read. Simon Brett's additional material is a further treat upon the original.

a silly approach, but the play's still wonderful by bruce

This crew includes some great actors, with an enormous range of skills, but the attempt to disguise their rather inappropriately advanced ages is fairly embarrassing. Nonetheless, there are good performances (especially Sian Phillips as Lady Bracknell, who knows how it should be done even if she really doesn't have the voice to do it justice): and the last act worked very well - but how many opportunities were missed at other times! What the production does is remind us how wonderful the original play is - so good that it even survives the tacky interpretation. And it has to be said - Nigel Havers really isn't very good . . .

IOBE by Elizabeth

Fantastic acting. First class entertainment.

Fabulous and innovative by Keren

A great twist on a classic story, very amusing and well done, highly recommend it

Golden but timeless oldie. by M Ray

An Oscar Wilde classic played to perfection but with a bit of modernisation.

The Importance of not messing with a classic by Alisdair

I thought that the idea of a play by a dramatic society doing a rehearsal of the importance of being earnest did not work. It ruined the humour and timing of the original play. Excellent actors, silly play.

Wilde the man by Richard

I got upgraded to the stalls, so had a great view of top actors in the best of plays.

little to be wilde about by Robert

What was not oscar was nothing to be wilde about - why were Jack and Algernon the same age as lady Bracknell

Hard to adjust by Robin

I found it difficult to adjust to the format, a (very good) am-dram company rehearsing Wilde's play, especially to the ages of the actors. By the time we reached the second act, which was delightfully performed "real" Wilde, this quibble no longer mattered - spot-on, quick as a flash cues and superb diction from some of Britain's most experienced and talented actors.

A Classic - brilliantly performed by Stuart

A classic comedy, well done and in a super theatre.

The Importance of a Strong Cast by Phil

When you stage an Oscar Wilde play, it's important to have a strong cast and this production definitely has it in spades. Martin Jarvis and Nigel Havers are brilliant and Sian Phillips and Cherie Lunghi equally so. Members of the supporting cast and the imaginative set complete a wonderful take on this play via the Bunbury Players. Would thoroughly recommend this production. A great way to spend a Saturday night!

Enjoying it all by Nina

Please remind audience to turn off their phones. I didn't and was most embarrassed when mine started to ring! Otherwise all was fine and we liked the modernisation.

Good play, but expensive theatre agency by Oscar Wilde

The show was good, in a small but intimate theatre. What was annoying was that this website charged £6 per ticket on top of the face value of the ticket per person. Quite extravagant.

Sparkling dialogue lives on by Judith

Marvellous performances from Nigel and Martin