The Importance of Being Earnest with Ncuti Gatwa and Sharon D Clarke releases rehearsal photos

The National Theatre has released a look inside the rehearsal room of its production of Oscar Wilde’s comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest.

Max Webster makes his National Theatre debut directing the new revival, set to grace the Lyttelton Theatre from 20 November 2024 to 25 January 2025.

The production’s cast features Richard Cant (Stan & Ollie, Mary Queen of Scots) as Reverend Canon Chasuble, Sharon D Clarke as the iconic Lady Bracknell, Ncuti Gatwa as Algernon Moncrieff, Amanda Lawrence (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Angels in America) as Miss Prism, Hugh Skinner (W1A, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again) as Jack Worthing, Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ (Rain Dogs, Blues for an Alabama Sky) as Gwendolen Fairfax and Eliza Scanlen (Little Women, Sharp Objects) as Cecily Cardew alongside Julian Bleach (Doctor Who, The Grinning Man) as Merriman / Lane.

Joining them are ensemble members Shereener Browne (The Effect), Jasmine Kerr (Follies), Gillian McCafferty (The Rise and Fall of Little Voice), Elliot Pritchard (Museum of Austerity) and John Vernon (Coriolanus).

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The show will also be filmed live ahead of a worldwide 2025 cinema release from 20 February 2025, with a list of venues available on the NTLive website.

The production team also includes set and costume designer Rae Smith, lighting designerJon Clark, sound designer Nicola T. Chang, movement director Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, composer DJ Walde, physical comedy advisor Joyce Henderson, intimacy coordinator Ingrid Mackinnon, casting directors Alastair Coomer and Chloe Blake, dialect coach Hazel Holder, voice coach Shereen Ibrahim, associate set designer Isabel Munoz-Newsome, associate costume designer Petros Kourtellaris, associate sound designer Christopher Reid, associate wigs, hair and make-up designer Adele Brandman and staff director Tanuja Amarasuriya.

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