Official: Nigel Havers and Martin Jarvis to Star in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at the Harold Pinter Theatre, Summer 2014

The Bunbury Company of Players comprising Rosalind Ayres (Outnumbered, New Tricks, God and Monsters), Niall Buggy (Translations, Dead Funny, Uncle Vanya), Nigel Havers (Downton Abbey, The Life Of Rock with Brian Pern, Coronation Street), Martin Jarvis (Endeavour, Law & Order: UK, Titanic), Christine Kavanagh (Basket Case, Vera, Manchild), Cherie Lunghi (Passion Play, Secret Diary of a Call girl, The Manageress) and Sia?n Phillips (Marlene, The Age of Innocence, Cabaret) star in Oscar Wilde's much loved and brilliantly witty masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest.

This new production, opening at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 17 July 2014 with previews from 27 June, will be directed by Lucy Bailey (Fortune's Fool, Dial M for Murder, Titus Andronicus for The Globe, King Lear with David Haig), designed by William Dudley (The Mysteries, Fortune's Fool, Fings Ain't Wot They Used To Be) and the company writer is Simon Brett (the Charles Paris and Fethering series of novels, The Strangling on the Stage).

The Importance of Being Earnest elegantly lampoons the hypocrisies of Victorian society and opens as two bachelors, the dependable, John Worthing, J.P. and upper class playboy Algernon Moncrieff, feel compelled to create different identities in order to pursue two eligible ladies Cecily Cardew and Gwendolyn Fairfax. The hilarious misadventures which result from their subterfuge; their brushes with the redoubtable Lady Bracknell and the uptight Miss Prism result in a plot that twists and fizzles with some of the finest dialogue to be found in theatre.

The Importance of Being Earnest is presented in the West End by The Bunbury Company of Players and will then tour to the following venues:

Theatre Royal, Bath

Monday 22nd - Saturday 27th September

Theatre Royal Brighton

Monday 29th September - Saturday 4th October

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre

Monday 6th - Saturday 11th October

Richmond Theatre

Monday 13th - Saturday 18th October

Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

Monday 20th - Saturday 25th October

DETAILS:

Harold Pinter Theatre, Panton Street, London, SW1Y 4DN
Booking number: 0844 871 7622
Performance times: Monday to Saturday at 7:30pm, Wednesday and Saturday 2:30pm Dates: 27th June - 20 September 2014
Ticket prices to 19th July: £45, £35, £20 (£15 Day seats).
Ticket prices from 20th July: £55, £45, £30, £15 (£25 Day seats)

The Bunbury Company of Players reside in Bunbury, South Cheshire in the North West of England, and specialise in late 19th Century and early 20th Century light comedy. Their productions of An Ideal Husband, and Pygmalion are well known, but their The Importance of Being Earnest has always been especially acclaimed.