The Importance of Being Earnest is Wilde's most famous and oft-produced play. First performed in 1895, and subtitled "A Trivial Comedy for Serious People", it shows Wilde at his satirical and scathingly witty best. It follows the misadventures of Algy and Jack as they attempt to woo and wed Cecily and Gwendolen under the assumed name "Ernest", much to the disapproval of the aristocratic Lady Bracknell.

Cast:

Algernon Moncrieff - Ben Lindsey-Clark
Lane - Denis Daly
John Worthing - Jeff Moon
Gwendolen Fairfax - Amanda Friday
Lady Bracknell - Elizabeth Klett
Cecily Cardew - Tiffany Halla Colonna
Merriman - Alan Weyman
Rev. Canon Chasuble - Noel Badrian
Miss Prism - PJ Morgan
Stage directions read by Erin Louttit
Audio edited by Elizabeth Klett

Public Domain (P)2016 The Online Stage

Listening Length

1 hour and 58 minutes
Author

Oscar Wilde
Narrator

Ben Lindsey-Clark, see all
Audible release date

November 17, 2016
Language

English
Publisher

Spoken Realms
ASIN

B01MTO2153
Version

Original recording
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	1 hour and 58 minutes
Author	Oscar Wilde
Narrator	Ben Lindsey-Clark, Jeff Moon, Amanda Friday, Elizabeth Klett, Tiffany Halla Colonna, Noel Badrian, P J Morgan
Audible.com Release Date	November 17, 2016
Publisher	Spoken Realms
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Original recording
Language	English
ASIN	B01MTO2153
Best Sellers Rank	#338,207 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #176 in Ancient, Classical & Medieval Drama #1,182 in Ancient & Classical Dramas & Plays

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

4,142 global ratings

5 star		67%
4 star		21%
3 star		8%
2 star		2%
1 star		2%

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lovefool

Great Buyer Experience!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 12, 2023

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Perfect condition, as described and quickly delivered!

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Kenya Starflight

Still funny and observant over a century later

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 14, 2021

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Older literature can be challenging for modern audiences to relate to, especially when it's trying to satirize elements of society at the time that may no longer be relevant. It's often still worth reading in order get a feel for the time period... and sometimes it can still be funny and even surprisingly relevant today. And such was the case with "The Importance of Being Earnest," a play written by the inimitable Oscar Wilde. Just as amusing and cutting today as it was when it was first written, it's a surprisingly enjoyable jaunt that I'd love to see onstage someday.

British society men Jack and Algernon often find themselves bored by their everyday lives, and so each has their own alter ego -- Jack lives a double-life, going by Earnest while in London and Jack while visiting his home in the country, while Algernon has invented a perpetually-sick friend to serve as a handy alibi. But when two lovely women catch each man's eye -- and each lady finds themselves falling in love with the completely fictitious Earnest -- the stage is set for a comedy of errors that will find double identities exposed for all to see.

Being written in script format, it's hard to judge this by the same standards one would judge a book by. There's no real prose to judge, mainly dialogue. But in this case the dialogue is fantastic, full of witty banter and observations that do a good job at pointing out the absurdity of social mores of the time... and some social mores that continue to this day. And despite being relatively short, the play manages to spin a neat and tightly entwined plot that's satisfying -- and hilarious -- to see played out. Most of the characters seem to have the same basic personality and voice, but I can forgive this.

"The Importance of Being Earnest" is a nicely absurd and observant play that manages to still be funny and biting over a century later. I hope to be able to see it on stage someday -- it's probably much more effective when you see it in action than read it on the page...

2 people found this helpful

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Tracey Mellert

what a read!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 28, 2023

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I’ve never read an Oscar Wilde book before but saw that it was a light read- kept me entertained from the beginning until the end! Loved it

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Erhan Ozdemir

Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 20, 2023

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It is a funny story that everyone is likely to enjoy their time while reading. And of course, a "must read" classic from Oscar Wilde...

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John Meredith

Bussin book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 23, 2023

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This book was Bussin no cap on my twisty. On g man this book for the real ones on g

4 people found this helpful

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An in-depth presentation of the funniest play ever written

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 6, 2008

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Oscar Wilde made his initial reputation as the master of the epigram: the trenchant and mordant, roughly haiku length flashes of insight into the comic absurdity of the world. No one in English Literature before or since has ever displayed such an effortless mastery of wit. "All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his."

The Importance of Being Earnest not only flaunts Wilde's most inconsequential plot, it is also crammed with his funniest epigrams and wittiest bon mots. This 1895 three-act comedic tour-de-force was an immediate hit in London. The comic word-play was a sensation amongst audiences who flocked to see this brilliant manifestation of Wilde's epicene witticisms. Here was a glittering example of London's avant-garde in the 1890's. Much like the play Hair in the 1960's, it was a signature of the times that no self-respecting sophisticate could miss. Wilde enjoyed himself immensely during this apex of his fame. Unfortunately, his reputation was quickly eclipsed by the scandal that engulfed him and his work. It took several decades for that reputation to be rehabilitated. The Importance of Being Earnest seemed to float above the scandals, never losing its popularity and acquiring a theatrical life of its own as an absolutely iconic work.

This Norton Critical Edition contains an annotated version of the play as well as several brilliantly incisive articles. A few of the analysts engage in some scholarly hand-waving, trying to attribute a social commentary and literary symbolism to the play that may not exist. Some of it is quite funny, in fact. I can't help but think that Wilde would appreciate the irony of one critic portraying his comic depiction of the frequently agitated butler Lane as an assault on the English class system. Other articles are quite helpful, however. The essay by Camille Paglia is especially insightful with her brilliant analysis of Wilde's dramatic projection of an ambiguous sexual persona. It is a rare comic play that merits its own Norton Critical Edition. This is one of the few. If you love this play (and the hilarious 1951 Anthony Asquith film) as much as I do, this is the edition to have. Most strongly recommended.

Mike Birman

11 people found this helpful

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Aquila Chrysaetos

Macmillan collectors library edition

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 4, 2017

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Of Wilde's plays I have only seen The Importance of Being Earnest which is wonderfully witty and ridiculous. Collected in this volume are the title play along with Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband and Salome. The first four are light entertainment filled with witty dialogue. The last, Salome, is macabre and dark. I was curious about that one because of the hubbub over it being a play based on scripture but laced sexual overtones. I'm glad I read it because its not something I would want to go to see like the other four but in Wilde's defense, the Herods were a nasty, incestuous and murderous bunch and he does not do injustice to John the Baptist or Christ. The most disturbing part about the play is when Salome kisses the severed head of the prophet. She does this because he refused her advances while alive.

The illustrations in the book are the originals done by Aubrey Beardsley and they are only in Salome. I liked his illustrations in Macmillan's The Happy Prince and Other Stories but I found the ones for Salome nasty, grotesque and bordering on porn. Not to my taste at all.

The rest of the book still merits my five star rating both in content and quality.

Macmillan's Collectors library editions are well made beautiful pocket sized hard covers. There are two other Oscar Wilde books in the collection: Picture of Dorian Gray and The Happy Prince and Other Stories.

7 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Wondeful

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 25, 2022

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Easy to picture, a great twist at the end. Taken completely by surprise. Awesome! In a way, teaches a "lesson" but not the most expected one.

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Top reviews from other countries

Elaine Fairfield

LOVE this; one of

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 19, 2021

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This is one of my all-time FAVOURITES! 🙌🏼 I’ve read this about five times since I discovered it (about five years ago), and I love it more and more each time I read it. The film is good too, but not as good as the book 😉

Initially I chose to read it because it was a classic, and because it was short 😂🤫 The reviews also said it was funny, but I couldn’t imagine a stuffy old play could be funny.

I’ve since realised they can be (so can a couple of Shakespeare plays too, but gone are the days when I’ll read a Shakespeare play; I prefer to watch them), and this one is as far from stuffy as a classic can get. The comedy is on point! So funny. I actually got my dad and a couple of others to read this too and they also loved it.

Worth a read (or a watch if reading it seems a bit too much for you - it’s an all-star cast!). You might just love it as much as I do

2 people found this helpful

jacw2000

A Treat

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on July 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

A freebie on the Kindle, presumably to tempt me to buy the other books. Somewhere on a bookshelf I have The Complete Works, so I'm unlikely to spend actual money on Mr Wilde's stuff. But I tend to read on the Kindle these days so it's nice to pick up a freebie

Does anyone not know Oscar? Go and get this, it's a treat.

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

My favorite play of all

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 8, 2010

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Short, sweet, beautifully written and full of punchlines that stick into the mind, Oscar Wilde's greatest work is a living example of quality, rather than quantity. 65-odd pages are all Wilde needs to ensnare and capture a reader into the upper class society of his day and all of their ludicrous mannerisms. There are hints of Wilde himself aplenty in Algernon and his dashing flamboyancy.

The play follows a standard three act structure, and can be read casually easily in one sitting. I can imagine, and indeed would love to have the opportunity to perform what would be an exceptionally enjoyable play to rehearse.

It is not overly long, it is not overly pretentious and the language is beautiful. It knocks some of Shakespeare's overblown works for six and then some. This should be standard order for every classroom in the country. Wilde is a great, and is simply not revered enough.

The cheap Penguin edition is for my needs perfect. Clearly set out, nice handy size, good typeface and a brilliant £2 price tag. It's worth £2 of anyone's money. And I also like having the opportunity to have Wilde's plays in individual editions, rather than the bulky anthologies.

Concrete 5 stars, please read it, you certainly won't regret it.

6 people found this helpful

Mrs. K. M. Hunt

A perennial delight

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 23, 2012

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This Play never palls. Oscar Wilde's witty and amusing dialogue remains a perennial delight and it is a play which can be listened to over and over again with enjoyment.

This particular recording features a strong cast, with Jeremy Clyde, Richard Pasco and Prunella Scales taking the main parts.

It is also the first broadcast of the original four-act version of the play. The extra dialogue is not often met with in most modern productions.

It is ideal for listening to while doing a long, boring job, (such as the ironing!). And I am sure it will give equal pleasure, whether the listener is already familiar with the play, or whether it comes as an entirely new experience.

It remains a tragedy that the author of such a delicious light comedy should have met with such a disastrous fall from grace.

2 people found this helpful

Mr. K. Cross

Campness of the Highest Order

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 29, 2010

Vine Customer Review of Free Product( What's this? )Verified Purchase

Yes, this is Oscar Wilde's deliciously camp, ferociously witty comedy of errors & incisive observations on the social mores of the day. This presentation of the 1977 radio play offers pristine sound, excellent production values, & has a star-studded British cast, headed by Maurice Denham & the marvellous National Treasure that is Prunella Scales. I placed it on the CD tray & lay back on the bed, box of chocolates & glass of wine resting on the bedside table, & enjoyed every second of its 140 minutes' playing time (over 2 CDs). It's amazing to realise that this play was first performed in 1895, & that this particular broadcast is now 33 years old as it still sounds as vibrant, fresh, funny, perceptive & relevant today. Excellent entertainment, & these CDs can be played over again as there is such a richness to the writing & this production. Highly recommended.

One person found this helpful

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