They say that in London you are never more than 6ft away from a rat. I’d like to amend this to ‘6ft away from a production of The Importance Of Being Earnest’, the beloved Oscar Wilde play that is, yet again, making its way to the West End.
I think I’ve witnessed more remakes of Earnest in my life than I’ve seen hedgehogs. The upcoming production, starring the singer and actor Olly Alexander, follows a successful run at the National Theatre and opens at the Noël Coward on September 18.
As is convention in times of financial constraint, playhouses revert to the classics in a bid to stave off poor sales. It’s not that I don’t understand why Wilde’s comedy is coming back. It is simply that I find the endless cycle of reruns and adaptations crucifyingly dull.
Ed McGovern, the business development director of Crossroads Live, a production company, argues that, although remakes are ‘vital for keeping theatre financially sustainable’ — no mean feat given a play’s current operating costs — the ecosystem also requires ‘raw, urgent work that will become tomorrow’s classics’. Baby Reindeer, an international phenomenon on Netflix last year, and King Charles III, a brilliant BBC film, both got their start in intimate spaces off the West End. ‘What gets lost is how much brilliant new theatre is actually happening,’ says Ed, ‘at venues such as Southwark Playhouse, the Almeida or the Bush.’
The heart of Theatreland itself can also make room for the bold and brave, as it did last year for Mark Rosenblatt’s Giant, a play that explores the alleged antisemitism of Roald Dahl. Following a sold-out run at the Royal Court and three Olivier awards, it took its rightful place at the Harold Pinter Theatre this summer, with a final curtain call on August 2. It was a triumph, a bold and intelligent drama that chose not to tread lightly.
The trouble is we have too few such plays: risky business should be the norm, not the anomaly. Theatre is a business, however, and we the audience need to show our appetite for originality — and courage. That starts with having some of our own.
This feature originally appeared in the July 1, 2025, issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe
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