The Importance of Being Earnest digital adaptation – full casting announced

Casting has been announced for the digital revival of The Importance of Being Earnest.

Appearing in the streamed piece, co-produced by Dukes Lancaster and the Lawrence Batley Theatre will be Gurjeet Singh (Ackley Bridge, Wuthering Heights) as Earnest/Jamil, Tom Dixon (Twelfth Night, Romeo & Juliet) as Algy, Mina Anwar (Everybody's Talking About Jamie, The Thin Blue Line) as Ms Begum, Nikki Patel (Trojan Horse, Coronation Street) as Gul, Zoe Iqbal (Finding Fatimah, Ackley Bridge) as Safina and Melanie Marshall (Jane Eyre) as Miss Prism, with appearances from finalist of RuPaul's Drag Race UK Divina De Campo, star of stage and screen Paul Chahidi, award-winning actor, comedian and writer Hugh Dennis, actress Harriet Thorpe (Absolutely Fabulous) and comedian Sindhu Vee.

Adapted for digital by writer, radio broadcaster and performer Yasmeen Khan, the new twist on Oscar Wilde's fabled comedy play is directed by Anwar. It will be captured at the show's two co-producing venues.

Costume and set design are by Holly Pigott, sound design by Dave Bintley, lighting design by Douglas Kuhrt and assistant direction from Eleri Jones and Olivia Race.

Anwar said: "I'm delighted to be directing and acting in this brilliant adaptation of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest by Yasmeen Khan. This is my homage to the perfect hybrid of theatre and television, the studio sitcom. Set in the acting world, Yasmeen has blended the wit, the farce and the fabulous characters of Wilde's original with a hilarious, contemporary and distinctively Northern flavour. To tell this story we have brought together an extraordinary team of theatre and film makers. We cannot wait to share it with the world."

Tickets are on sale now via the two venues' websites.

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