Tamara Lawrance, Jamael Westman Will Lead AN IDEAL HUSBAND at Lyric Hammersmith
Performances will run 7 May–6 June 2026 before transferring to Bristol Old Vic.
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre announced casting for their upcoming production of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband, in association with Bristol Old Vic.
Directed by Lyric Associate Director, Nicholai La Barrie (God of Carnage, Aladdin), the production will run at the venue from Thursday 07 May - Saturday 06 June 2026 before transferring to Bristol Old Vic from 10 - 20 June 2026.
Set to be staged on the 100th anniversary of its last appearance at the Lyric in 1926, this contemporary production of the classic comedy uncovers the love, betrayal and scandal that prevails in the rarefied world of modern, affluent London.
The cast features Emmanuel Akwafo (For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy) who returns to the Lyric after appearing in multiple pantomimes at the venue as Mason/Phipps, Jeff Alexander (Of Mice and Men) as Earl Of Caversham, Nimmy March (The Farmer's Bride) as Lady Basildon, Suzette Llewellyn (Eastenders) as Lady Markby, Tamara Lawrance (Get Millie Back) as Lady Chiltern, Tiwa Lade (A Midsummer Night's Dream - Headlong) as Mabel Chiltern, Chiké Okonkwo (New Tricks) as Lord Chiltern, Aurora Perrineau (KAOS) as Mrs Cheveley, Sule Thelwell (XO Kitty) as Vicomte De Nanjac and Jamael Westman (Hamilton) as Lord Goring, who returns to the Lyric after featuring in Aladdin in 2011. Pioneering BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 1 DJ, Trevor Nelson MBE will also be lending his voice to the production.
Director Nicholai La Barrie said: “I'm very excited to begin working on this show with such an incredible, dynamic cast. An Ideal Husband is, at its heart, about the contradictions that define us: love and betrayal, politics and family, forgiveness and redemption, morality and greed. A century after it was written, these themes feel as urgent as ever. We are still navigating the same questions - how to balance ambition with integrity, how to forgive the people we love, how to reconcile private mistakes with public lives. Wilde wraps these struggles in razor-sharp wit, reminding us that laughter can be a way of facing uncomfortable truths. What I love most about this play is how it holds a mirror to us all, exposing the masks we wear in society while gently nudging us to find compassion, honesty, and even humor in our flaws.”
Rachel O'Riordan, Artistic Director of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, said: “At the Lyric, we're excited by classic works and reimagining them for our vibrant of today. Nicholai La Barrie's major new production of An Ideal Husband, set in an opulent, modern-day London, will do exactly that. I cannot wait for audiences to meet this wonderful cast as they bring Oscar Wilde's enduring comedy to life on our beautiful stage.”
The full creative team includes Director Nicholai La Barrie, Set & Costume Designer Rajha Shakiry, Lighting Designer Zeynep Kepekli, Sound Designer Holly Khan, Movement Director Alexzandra Sarmiento, Casting Director Heather Basten CDG, Assistant Director Gráinne Flynn, Associate Costume Designer Mariama Bojang, Company Stage Manager Claire Bryan, Deputy Stage Manager Jade Hunter and Assistant Stage Manager Jack Bond.
‘I love London Society! It is entirely composed now of beautiful idiots and brilliant lunatics.' Present day. London. Sir Robert Chiltern is riding high on all the very best that modern life has to offer a man of his impeccable taste and pristine reputation. He's got it all: the house, the wife, the style. All seems well until the arrival of the crafty Mrs Cheveley, who has a taste for drama and secrets to spill. Her revelations threaten disgrace, betrayal and public embarrassment: so how far will this perfect gentleman go to prevent his downfall? Scandal is trending. Forgiveness is optional. And perfection comes at a price.
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