The Importance of Being Earnest: A Play: A Trivial Comedy for Serious People

The Importance of Being Earnest A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at the St Jamess Theatre in London it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London the plays major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage and the resulting satire of Victorian ways. Some contemporary reviews praised the plays humour and the culmination of Wildes artistic career while others were cautious about its lack of social messages. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wildes most enduringly popular play. The original production of The Importance of Being Earnest in 1895 with Allan Aynesworth as Algernon (left) and George Alexander as John (right) Written by Oscar Wilde Date premiered 1895 Place premiered St Jamess Theatre London England Original language English Genre Comedy farce Setting London and an estate in Hertfordshire