A Trivial Comedy for Serious People

Mr. Jack Worthing leads a double life. When moving within the bustling circles of London, he assumes the character of a certain fictional Ernest Worthing. Ernest is flirty, spontaneous and frivolous – everything that Jack should not be in his respectable country home. Disguised as Ernest, Jack proposes to Gwendolen, a respectable society lady, who accepts him because she always dreamed of marrying a man named Ernest.

However, Jack’s carefully constructed façade soon begins to crumble as his friend Algernon discovers his secret and his real identity surfaces. In the meantime, Jack must not only contend with his mischievous friend, but also with Gwendolen’s mother, Lady Bracknell, who opposes Jack’s engagement to her daughter.

Chaos ensues when Algernon turns up at Jack’s country house posing as Jack’s brother Ernest. He begins to court Jack's ward, Cecily, who is also strangely obsessed with the name Ernest. Being earnest has truly never been more complicated!

Oscar Wilde's brilliant comedy of manners plays with the absurdities of identity and social convention. With its witty dialogue and sharp humour, it remains as irresistibly charming to modern audiences as it did over a century ago.

Performed by Natalie Bockarev, Julius Helbig, Elisabeth Kollatz, Cyrill Letunovsky, Sören Melchers, Vilia Schaumburg, Kieran Sommer and Bronwyn Young

Produced by Nathalie Kroll, Mareike Rothkirch and Bronwyn Young