STCSA Artistic Director Petra Kalive directs a radically reimagined version of The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde’s celebrated comedy of manners about deception, identity, class and desire. The play follows two young men, Jack and Algernon, who create elaborate alter egos – each calling themselves “Earnest” – to escape social obligations and pursue love. Inevitably, their deceptions unravel, with a handbag playing a pivotal role. Kalive promises a “fast, furious” take on Wilde’s dazzling classic that will “revel in the satire and barely veiled politics”.

Limelight Editor’s Choice

The Importance of Being Earnest is beloved for its wit, satire, and gleeful skewering of Victorian respectability. But beneath the dazzling dialogue lies something more radical: a world built on performance — of identity, class, and desire.

The play follows two young men, Jack and Algernon, who create elaborate alter egos — “Ernest” — to escape social obligations and pursue love. But when their deceptions unravel, chaos ensues in a world where truth is slippery, and appearances are everything.

This production is fast, furious and wickedly funny. With an entirely South Australian cast, we’re serving up the very best talent with teeth, sparkle, and a whole lot of nerve. Prepare yourself for a bold and joyful night at the theatre.