ABOUT THE PLAY

 

Set amidst the grandeur of an English country home, Wilde’s deliciously witty satire centres around the revelation of Mrs Arbuthnot’s long-concealed secret and her struggle to survive in a society that values image above integrity. Rupert Graves, Samantha Bond, Prunella Scales and Joanne Pearce lead a first rate ensemble in this brilliantly sharp comedy of the classes, directed by Adrian Noble. A Woman of No Importance premiered at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 1893, now it returns in a new production for a limited autumn season opening 10 September.

 

CAST & CREATIVE

Lady Caroline Pontefract - Caroline Blakiston

Mrs Arbuthnot  - Samantha Bond

Archdeacon Daubeny  - Peter Cellier

Lady Stutfield  - Elizabeth Garvie

Lord Illingworth  - Rupert Graves

Lord Alfred Rufford  - Jasper Jacob

Mr Kelvil M.P.  - John Normington

Sir John Pontefract  - Ralph Nossek

Gerald Arbuthnot  - Julian Ovenden

Mrs Allonby  - Joanne Pearce

Lady Hunstanton  - Prunella Scales

Alice  - Sharon Scogings

Hester Worsley  - Rachael Stirling

Farquhar  - Richard Syms

Francis  - Richard Teverson

 

Author  - Oscar Wilde

Director - Adrian Noble

Designer  - Peter Mckintosh

Lighting  - Rick Fisher

Sound  - Paul Arditti

 

QUOTES & REVIEWS

 

QUOTES

 

  NOBLE’S high class production is QUITE SIMPLY, A MUST SEE.  DAILY TELEGRAPH

 

A Magnificent performance from Samantha Bond in Adrian Noble ‘s handsome Edwardian revival Financial Times

 

A ROLLS ROYCE PRODUCTION.   FINANCIAL TIMES

 

  ★★★★★

BEAUTIFULLY PERFORMED DRAMA, Adrian Noble ‘s

gripping production crackles with SEXUAL TENSION.   JEWISH CHRONICLE

 

CAST TO THE NINES SUNDAY EXPRESS

 

RUPERT GRAVES an OUTSTANDING stage actor.   DAILY TELEGRAPH

 

 JOANNE PEARCE is SUPERB.  WHAT'S ON STAGE

 

  A SMASHING performance from RACHAEL STIRLING.  SUNDAY EXPRESS

  

Nothing but ACTING of the HIGHEST ORDER.   THE TELEGRAPH

  

I MARVELLED at the CLASSY ACTING.   THE TIMES

 

DELICIOUS   MAIL ON SUNDAY

 

FASCINATING   INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

 

Oscar Wilde’s comedy returns to where it belongs. It ‘s GLORIOUS THEATRE OF ORIGIN in the Haymarket.   DAILY MAIL