The Importance of Being Earnest

A conversation with Artistic Director Todd Haimes about Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest

Q. Why did you select The Importance of Being Earnest for Roundabout audiences?
A. Producing first-class revivals of classic plays is a huge component of Roundabout’s mission – and in fact was the institution’s founding principle. Unintentionally, we’ve never touched on the work of Oscar Wilde before, but I believe that his plays are as essential a part of the canon as those of Shaw or Ibsen or others who we’ve presented on a more consistent basis. Of course, I don’t think anyone wants to see a classic revived just because it’s the kind of play that should be seen again – there has to be a vision behind the production, a reason to reexamine the play. When I saw Brian Bedford’s Earnest at Stratford, I immediately knew that this was the kind of production that can absolutely revitalize a classic play. It truly makes an argument for why this is a play that continues to be such a delight to audiences.
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