The Importance of Being Earnest is a glorious comedy of mistaken identity, which ridicules codes of propriety and etiquette. Dashing men-about-town John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff pursue fair ladies Gwendolen Fairfax and Cecily Cardew. Matters are complicated by the imaginary characters invented by both men to cover their on-the-sly activities - not to mention the disapproval of Gwendolen's mother, the formidable Lady Bracknell.
Bedford unleashes a limitless arsenal of variations on dry disapproval and can do wonders with a pause or vocal fluctuation of a half-octave or so. Mulling whether Jack is worth adding to her list of eligible bachelors, Lady Bracknell's grilling of him is comedy at its most sublime. But then, Bedford's every line in this entertaining revival is a jewel.
For a lesson in playing brittle and brilliant farce, head to the American Airlines Theatre for a near-perfect staging of 'The Importance of Being Earnest,' Oscar Wilde's whimsical 1895 classic. Director Brian Bedford, who is also starring in drag as Lady Bracknell, remembers that Wilde originally subtitled his play 'A Serious Comedy for Trivial People.' Bedford has his company play the shallow objectives of the upper-crust Victorian characters with complete seriousness, rather than going for the obvious laughs. Highly stylized and sleekly staged, this is probably the funniest and sharpest production of the comedy, a favorite on regional and community stages, I've ever seen.
| 1895 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1902 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1910 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1921 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1926 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1939 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1947 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1977 | Broadway |
Broadway |
| 1985 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 1996 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2002 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2003 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2008 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2011 | Broadway |
Roundabout Revival Broadway |
| 2012 | West End |
Old Red Lion Theatre Production West End Transfer West End |
| 2015 | West End |
West End West End |
| 2018 | West End |
West End Production West End |
| 2022 | West End |
West End |
| 2025 | West End |
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| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | BroadwayWorld Awards | Best Revival of a Play | The Importance of Being Earnest |
| 2011 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design | Desmond Heeley |
| 2011 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Brian Bedford |
| 2011 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | 0 |
| 2011 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Costume Design | Desmond Heeley |
| 2011 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Brian Bedford |
| 2011 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Play | 0 |
| 2011 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Set Design | Desmond Heeley |
| 2011 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Play | Desmond Heeley |
| 2011 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play | Brian Bedford |
| 2011 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Roundabout Theatre Company |
| 2011 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Todd Haimes |
| 2011 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Harold Wolpert |
| 2011 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Play | Julia C. Levy |
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