Leah Khor
Five minutes into … Earnest?, the lead actor didn’t come out on cue. A moment later, the “director” stormed onto the stage, announcing they might have to cast someone from the audience for the role of Earnest. Normally, that’s when the curtains come down, but this time, it’s all part of the play. That’s not the real director, and this wasn’t just another stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. We, the audience, were in on this chaos.
London-based theatre company Say it Again… Sorry? has taken Wilde’s classic tale of mistaken identity and turned into a full-blown immersive comedy where chaos is completely baked into the script – well, loosely baked in. The night I attended, after that wild opener, we eventually landed ourselves the most spectacular, show-stopping lead… Jo from Nottingham! She was a lovely lady sitting near the front who, when asked where she’d take Gwendolen on a date, cheekily replied, “Wagamama.” That offhand answer sneakily became a recurring bit for the rest of the night.
YOU COULD TELL THERE’S A SKELETON OF A SCRIPT IN PLACE – SOME BEATS THEY HAVE TO HIT, A VAGUE DESTINATION – BUT THE ROAD TO GET THERE IS ENTIRELY OPEN.
Let’s be real: an interactive play that relies this much on spontaneity and audience participation sounds like a recipe for disaster. How do they keep things moving when half of the cast is picked from the crowd? But somehow, the company pulled it off wonderfully. It’s hard to explain how the play managed to stay on track, but it did. You could tell there’s a skeleton of a script in place — some beats they have to hit, a vague destination — but the road to get there is entirely open. That’s where the magic happens.
Personally — and I think most people would agree — this magic wouldn’t have shimmered without the cast. They were ridiculously sharp, constantly reacting, adapting, and playing off whatever’s happening at all times. They played their parts so well, you’d forget they were juggling two realities at once. But more than that, they were the glue that managed to turn these random audience members into an ensemble stacked with genuine chemistry. Everyone onstage sincerely looked like they were having a blast, and they never dropped the act, not even during the interval.
As the curtains fell to prepare for the second half, Josh the “stage manager” popped out to mop up some unfortunate vomit on the stage (it’s a long story…). Soon after, a table was suddenly wheeled out, and back came “Director” Simon and Josh, still in character, trying to sell their merch. They even threw in an impromptu fashion show, strutting across the stage — which, impressively, led to three actual sales! It was as if the play never paused — there’s simply no disconnect. The only moment where you might feel like you’ve left the play’s universe is probably the walk to the toilets. These little in-between moments were the kind of the details that I deeply cherished, adding a whole extra richness to the experience.
The meticulous attention to detail didn’t end with the performance either. The merchandise itself deserves a special shoutout. I had the pleasure to get my hands on their programme, and it was double-sided — one side was a fake playbill for The Importance of Being Earnest with all kinds of hilariously made-up actor bios and inside jokes, and the real programme was on the other. It’s stupidly clever, completely on-brand, and it has totally made its way into my stash of all-time favourite memorabilias.
What really stood out, though, was this unexpected sense of community inside the Theatre Royal. Everyone was rooting for this “trainwreck” of a play to hold together. As more audience members were roped into the story, it genuinely felt like we were getting to know them too. We learned that Ned, the front-of-house working that night, knows his way around the piano. And Ian, the sweet man in glasses, could rock a pink dress and some hair bows when the original Cecily “had to leave for a Harry Potter on Ice gig.” The crowd was full of champs. Honestly, casting directors should swing by sometime – there’s talent with serious comedic timing sitting in those seats.
EACH NIGHT IS ITS OWN STORM OF UNPREDICATABILITY – NEW CAST, NEW JOKES, NEW CHAOS. AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES THIS SUCH A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE.
Also, don’t worry if you’re not a Wilde expert; the show doesn’t demand it from you, and truthfully it might even spark your interest in his work. No need to fret about the humour either. It was silly and sometimes absurd, ranging from Wildean wordplays, harmless sexual innuendos to modern-esque references (a Hinge one flew under most people’s radar but had me and my friend howling). There’s something in it for everyone.
If I had to nitpick, I’d say a few parts got a little draggy, with gags stretching just a beat too long. Toward the end, as the stage began overflowing with people, things seemed to lose a bit of a balance, leaving the conclusion feeling a tad abrupt and unpolished. But honestly? Even at its messiest, it was still a joy to sit through. So, despite its stumbles, I forgave it almost instantly.
The thing about …Earnest? is, it’s never the same show twice. Each night is its own storm of unpredictability — new cast, new jokes, new chaos. And that’s exactly what makes this such a worthwhile experience. If you have a chance to catch it anywhere else, my biggest advice is to not think twice. Go ahead and buy the ticket. Because who knows, you might end up the next lead in an Oscar Wilde play… or so they say.
Leah Khor
Featured image courtesy of Alex Watkin. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image 1 courtesy of Mark Senior. Permisison to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image 2 courtesy of writer Leah Khor. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image 3 courtesy of Mark Senior. Permisison to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
For more content including uni news, reviews, entertainment, lifestyle, features and so much more, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to get involved.
If you can’t get enough of Impact Reviews, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like our Facebook page for updates on our new articles.
