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The Importance of Being Earnest cover art

The Importance of Being Earnest

By: Oscar Wilde
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  • Summary

  • A new version of this timeless classic starring Stephen Fry as Lady Bracknell.

    Jack Worthing (Gwilym Lee) and Algernon Montcrieff (Tom Glynn Carney) have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. Jack has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to leave his dull life behind to visit Gwendolyn (Lyndsey Marshall). 

    Montcrieff decides to take the name Earnest when visiting Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily (Daisy Edgar Jones). Things start to go awry when they end up together in the country and the truth starts to unravel.

    Performed by: Jonathan Coy, Janie Dee, Daisy Edgar Jones, Stephen Fry, Tom Glynn Carney, Paterson Joseph, Gwilym Lee, Lyndsey Marshall

    ©2021 Audible, Ltd (P)2021 Audible, Ltd
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Episodes
  • Ep. 1: The Importance of Being Earnest
    May 24 2021

    A new version of this timeless classic starring Stephen Fry. 

    Jack Worthing and Algernon Montcrieff have taken to bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. Jack has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he uses as an excuse to leave his dull life behind to visit Gwendolyn. 

    Montcrieff decides to take the name Earnest when visiting Worthing's young and beautiful ward, Cecily. Things start to go awry when they end up together in the country and the truth starts to unravel.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 56 mins

What listeners say about The Importance of Being Earnest

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of my favourite plays

Absolutely hilarious and incredibly witty, Oscar Wilde takes on all elements of 19th Century society, comedic plays and any other institution that crosses his path.

Incredibly tightly plotted and full of double meanings, mistaken identities and all manner of comedy tropes.

It's a bit weird that this is billed as "Starring Stephen Fry" when he plays Lady Bracknell who typically receives a lower billing than Jack, Algernon, Gwendolin and sometimes Cecilia.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it

I've never read the importance of being Ernest so had no idea what to expect. I found this well written, witty and generally pretty enjoyable. The music finished it off for me 👍

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A very entertaining podcast, funny, quite quirky

I enjoyed this podcast and found myself laughing over the tangled webs that were being spun, infectious, loved that the tables were turned on the guys by their pupil, narration was hilarious

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

This classic never fails

I don't believe I can ever go wrong listening to this hilarious play. This is not my favourite cast but it's really good! One to listen again and again.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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highly entertaining

i was not disappointed! told brilliantly, incredibly funny and the actors were all fantastic. i look forward to listening to more

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

Amazing performances, truly remarkable, complemented by a wonderful, witty, and humorous story! I enjoyed the accents and tones of the voices. Stephen Fry never disappoints me!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic!

Magnificent performance of Wilde's brilliant, clever and most excellent play. I very much enjoyed it and believe I will return to listen to it again many times.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hilarious, clever, uplifting!

Wonderful rendition of a wonderful work. From Lady Bracknell to Miss Prism - all parts are delightfully acted. A must-listen-to production.

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A great way of experiencing the play

A pure joy, and very well produced and acted. The only jarring element is the jazz music. The Importance of Being Earnest is a play of the 1890s or it is nothing. Ragtime, perhaps but not interwar Swing! Anyway, a minor irritant only. The play itself is a constant marvel, and remains one of the funniest things ever written.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect

This is one of my all-time favourite stories and the performances here are just perfection.

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