...Earnest? - UK Tour - Review

★★★★☆

Picture the scene: a traditional production of Oscar Wilde’s razor-sharp comedy begins… until it doesn’t. One of the lead actors fails to appear, and in a moment of crisis (or brilliance?), director Simon Slough—played with perfect exasperation by Josh Haberfield—plucks an unsuspecting audience member from their seat to fill the gap. And just like that, a new show is born.

This particular performance saw Jo, a personal trainer from Nottingham, become the star of the evening. As Jo stumbled, improvised, and smiled her way through Wilde’s chaos, she had the audience cheering for her on at every twist and turn. And that’s the magic of …Earnest?—the audience wants the chaos. They crave it. They ask for it. They practically explode with support as every unscripted moment unfolds.

Haberfield is a true maestro of mayhem. His improv instincts are razor-sharp, and his rapport with the audience is unmatchable. As the slightly tyrannical but always entertaining director, he acts as the production’s anchor, pulling focus when needed and throwing it away when chaos needs to reign. His ability to size up a crowd, spot willing victims, and gently manipulate them into comedy gold is a talent that should not go unrecognised.

Judith Amsenga is sensational as Eleanor; the kind of classically trained actress who will give you acting notes and a shot of Jack Daniels. Her character’s desperate attempts to keep the play afloat while shepherding the audience performers is as heartwarming as it is hilarious. Trynity Silk is pure carnage in the best possible way, particularly once the aforementioned Jack Daniels really starts kicking in. Her blend of improvisational mischief and perfectly-timed mishaps had me squealing with laughter.

Guido Garcia Lueches is magnetic as Algernon, the effortlessly suave bachelor with a surprising obsession for sticking to the script—quite literally. His unwavering commitment to pre-planned choreography in the face of total theatrical collapse becomes a comedic masterstroke, giving rise to some of the most inventive physical comedy of the night. His improvised sword fight with a newly recruited audience member was a particular highlight—slick, silly, and brilliantly executed. Rhys Tees, as Algernon’s long-suffering manservant, delivers a wonderfully dry performance as he desperately tries to preserve what little order remains. His slow descent into exasperation is handled with such nuance and timing that it becomes a laugh-out-loud subplot of its own

Yes, …Earnest? borrows from the rulebook of meta-theatre: think The Play That Goes Wrong, Noises Off, or even Sh!tfaced Shakespeare. But where others run on clockwork precision, …Earnest? thrives on its looseness and humanity. It’s not about perfection, it’s about unpredictability. It’s about seeing a moment go entirely off the rails and loving every second of it. And in those unscripted moments? That’s where the show becomes truly unmissable.

And as the show spirals further and further from Wilde’s intentions, more of the audience is recruited to fill in the blanks… none more wonderfully than Ian and Andy, two audience members forced to audition for a role using monologues from Shrek The Musical. Their blank stares and dry delivery were funnier than any scripted scene.

A special mention must go to Ben Mann as Josh, the silent stagehand who becomes the beating heart of the second act. With nothing but his eyes and body language, Mann wins over the audience entirely, and when he finally gets his moment in the spotlight, the auditorium erupts like it’s a hometown hero winning the X Factor. And honestly? That’s the vibe. The audience becomes part of the story. They cheer, support, heckle, and love every bonkers second. When audience participants took their bows at the end, the ovation was as loud as it would be for any West End cast.

Of course, when extending fringe theatre to a full production, not everything lands. A slightly flabby vicar sketch that opens Act Two didn’t hold my attention, and one particular repetition gag stretched past its breaking point. But in a show built on improvisation, audience participation, and glorious unpredictability, you take the odd lull with the 24-karat golden moments. I am so glad this show escaped the clutches of fringe theatre and has been allowed to delight audiences up and down the country, as this show brought so much joy and laughter into the auditorium, the likes of which you seldom see anymore.

…Earnest? is the kind of theatrical experience you want to bottle. It’s smart, stupid, brave, chaotic, and full of laughter. It manages to deconstruct the idea of a “play” while reminding us exactly why we go to see them in the first place. You think you know The Importance of Being Earnest? Think again. Say It Again, Sorry?'s riotous meta-theatrical explosion, …Earnest?, is an uproarious and joyously unpredictable celebration of all things theatrical, silly, and gloriously human.

In short? Controlled chaos at its absolute finest. And frankly, I can’t wait to see what goes wrong next. 

…Earnest? Is currently on tour until Saturday, the 14th of June 2025.