Importance of Being Earnest

Additional Importance of Being Earnest Information

Jack Worthing lives in the country with his budding young ward Cecily Cardew and her fussbudget governess, Miss Prism. To escape his situation, Jack invents a brother named Earnest who lives in London and frequently needs him. When in London, Jack then poses as Earnest. This elaborate fabrication proceeds smoothly until Jack/Ernest falls in love and his fiancee's mother discovers there is more - or, rather, less - to him than meets the eye.

From its theatrical debut in 1895 to the present, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest has enthralled audiences with its flashing wit and surprising insights. This full cast recording features a scintillating reading by a stellar cast headed by Alec McCowan and Lynn Redgrave, and directed by Peter Wood.

"Under Peter Wood's knowing direction, Wilde's satiric thrust at the society and manners of Victorian England are always fully capitalized upon." -San Antonio Light

THE CAST

What Customers Say About Importance of Being Earnest:

There are little things I can say without just linking to the masterpiece itself on Project Gutenburg. It's cheap, it's public domain, and it's funny as hell. Its satire, wit, and constant pace is beyond comparison. If you want a short but amusing read, look no further - Oscar Wilde is beyond brilliant.

This book has remained one of my favorites since reading it in high school ~5 years ago. I have re-read it multiple times, seen it live & as a movie, and never seem to tire of Wilde's excellent knack for satire. It is a quick & fun read full of irony and hilariously awkward situations. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys play-format comedies with strong irony.

I bought this script because I have so enjoyed the movie based on it. The English humor is brilliant and it is delightful to get to read it in probably less than an hour. This was pure enjoyment for me for no other reason than not missing a syllable of the dialogue (sometimes in the movie the actors speak a little too fast, so in order to savor the humor behind the lines having them in print allows you to enjoy them at your own pace)

I've been meaning to get into some more of his work, I really have. I still smile when I think about this play. It's a tale of mistaken identity, of love, of three volume novels, of "Bunburyists" and of fashion. It was my first sampling of Oscar Wilde, and I found it pretty enjoyable. It's also been my only sampling of Oscar Wilde. Everyone claims to be Earnest, but they're all rather trivial about it. It's pretty funny too, with a lot of wit and the like through it.This particular edition is particularly cheap, and it seems like its worth a look.

I love this play. I love Oscar Wilde. The wit and humor of this play is astounding, and yet at the same time, it is so intelligent. I love it.