The Importance of Being Earnest (A Trivial Comedy for Serious People) was Oscar Wilde‘s final play, and it premiered in 1895, literally weeks before he was imprisoned for being a homosexual. The irony is that the play wasn’t part of the prosecution’s evidence, yet over the years its queer subtext has been exploited to make it one of Wilde’s most loved dramas. And definitely its campest. 

The 1952 movie version starred the very stately Dame Edith Evans, who played Lady Bracknell with such exaggerated gusto that, unbeknownst to her (we assume), she became one of the UK’s early gay icons. Also in that production was another very eccentric English Dame …. Margaret Rutherford who played Miss Prism to the hilt, blissfully unaware of any subtext, queer or otherwise.

If you look at the long history of ‘The Importance’  you’ll find it’s been revived/revised in different forms quite a few times sine then. Notably, Dame Judi Dench starred in a British/American film version in 1952, but the most memorable has to be The National Theatre’s unforgettable stage version in 2024 that we think is the one that Wilde would also have loved best.  It takes ‘camp’ to its furthest edge and back again.

For example, in Max Webster’s luscious period dress production, Algernon comes whirling onto the stage in a hot pink gown ….. and that’s just the start.  Webster removes all of Wilde’s hints of sexuality……not only is Algernon a cross-dresser, but we soon catch on that Jack might swing both ways even though both men are looking to marry their female sweethearts.  Somehow you feel confident that Wilde would so approve all the mischievousness of this production and its inspired casting that make it even more relevant than he could have hoped it would be

Check out the trailer, then you can screen the whole delightful over-the-top direct online . https://www.ntathome.com/videos/the-importance-of-being-earnest-full-play