National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being Earnest

2025

Drama

Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 99%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 99% · 500 ratings
IMDb Rating 8.3/10 10 342 342

Plot summary

Being sensible can be excessively boring. At least Jack thinks so. While assuming the role of dutiful guardian in the country, he lets loose in town under a false identity. Meanwhile, his friend Algy takes on a similar facade. Unfortunately, living a double life has its drawbacks, especially when it comes to love. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate.

Director

Max Webster Photo
Max Webster

Top cast

Ncuti Gatwa Photo
Ncuti Gatwa as Algernon Moncrieff
Julian Bleach Photo
Julian Bleach as Merriman
Eliza Scanlen Photo
Eliza Scanlen as Cecily Cardew
Hugh Skinner Photo
Hugh Skinner as Jack Worthing
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB
1.35 GB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us   es  
25 fps
2 hr 29 min
Seeds ...
2.49 GB
1920*1080
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us   es  
25 fps
2 hr 29 min
Seeds 100

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by 8 / 10

A Production For Today

Max Webster's energetic staging of this classic play is generally fun -though some of the bounding across the stage is a bit over the top. Ncuti Gatwa is delightful as Algernon, and Sharon D. Clarke's Caribbean-infused Lady Bracknell is commanding and entirely her own, without relying on the grand dames who came before her. Eliza Scanlen's Cecily and Ronke Adekoluejo's Gwendolen suffer a bit from their direction -too full of sudden alterations of voice and character. Scanlen ultimately fares better in her role. Wilde's script has had a few minor alterations and anachronistic insertions but, like most classics, it survives them unscathed. For longtime Wilde fans, this may not be their favorite production, but it's an outstanding production to introduce newcomers to his work and to the theatre in general. It's a production tailored for today's audiences, and thoroughly enjoyable.
Reviewed by 4 / 10

The Importance of not being bored.

First off the acting from nearly everyone was sensational. Cecily was highly irritating and unbearable sadly. Ncuti and Sharon were sensational and so was Hugh Skinner and Davros.Alas this play was not my cup of tea. The opening with the piano was glorious. The end dance was life affirming. Sadly when they left the grand room from the opening scene it all went downhill. I couldn't bear Cecily , the way the actor played her was unbearable , the performance was too much and nothing other than irritating . I sort of gave up caring. The funny parts were very funny. The modern added bits were witty , perhaps a rewrite is due. Love Ncuti Gatwa in it , he is the only reason I went , Sharon D Clarke is always a star. Shame about Cecily.
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