Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest will be heading on a tour of the nation, starting in January, and Wicked star Kerry Ellis has been given the title role.
The tour will begin at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford on 24th January and will conclude in Eastbourne on 28th April.
The Importance of Being Earnest
Oscar Wilde’s comedy The Importance of being Earnest follows Jack Worthing’s endeavours to marry Algernon’s cousin, the beautiful Gwendolen. But first he must convince the fearsome Lady Bracknell of his respectability. Wilde’s classic play looks at the clash of town and country in a story of romance, identity, perambulators and capacious handbags
Ellis has been announced to star as Gwendolen which will be her first non-singing role. She will star in the role for various venues, and Hannah Louise Howell will star as Gwendoline at others. Ellis is best known for originating the role of Meat, in Queen’s We Will Rock You and was the first British actress to play Elphaba in Wicked.
Hannah Louise Howell’s theatre credits include The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Alastair Whatley earlier this year at South Hill Park Arts Centre, Engineers Blue, Romeo and Juliet, Mermaid, Much Ado About Nothing and Ghosts.
They will be joined by Geoff Aymer, Louise Coulthard, Thomas Howes, Peter Sandys-Clarke and Simon Shackleton, playing Chasuble, Cecily, Algernon, Jack and Lane/Merriman respectively.
The cast will also include previously announced Gwen Taylor as Lady Bracknell and Susan Penhaligon as Miss Prism.
Selected tour dates
Yvonne Arnaud, Guildford: 24th January – 3rd February
Courtyard Theatre, Hereford: 5th - 10th February
Theatre Royal Plymouth: 13th - 17th February
Belfast Grand Opera House: 20th - 24th February
Bath Theatre Royal: 27th February - 3rd March
Theatre Royal Winchester: 5th - 10th March
Manchester Opera House: 13th - 17th March
Salisbury Playhouse: 20th - 24th March
Lichfield Garrick Theatre: 27th - 31st March
Churchill Theatre, Bromley: 3rd - 7th April
Cambridge Arts Theatre: 9th - 14th April
Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne: 24th - 28th April
Group organisers should contact their chosen theatres for details on group rates.
For more information, visit www.theimportanceofbeingearnest.co.uk.
