"Importance of Being Earnest" Revival
"Importance of Being Earnest" Revival
#0"Importance of Being Earnest" Revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:03pm
Playbill.com announces:
"Diana Rigg will be the formidable Lady Bracknell in a new Broadway production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest in spring 2006, Variety reported.
It will be Rigg's first visit to Broadway since winning the Tony Award for her performance in Medea in 1994. She did, however, play the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1999 in two works of Racine, Phedre and Britannicus.
As for Wilde's 1895 delectably frivolous comedy of manners, it would mark its first appearance on Broadway in nearly 30 years, although the piece received a significant New York staging at Irish Rep in the late '90s. Daniel Gerroll, Eric Stoltz, Melissa Errico and Nancy Marchand starred in that version."
I am so glad to see this finally come back to Broadway. It is such a remarkable comedy and it has been on the shelf, collecting dust, for far too long. Audiences need to experience this play again and I am so glad to see an upcoming Broadway mounting of it.
For the whole article click the link below.
Diana Rigg to Appear in Broadway Importance of Being Earnest in Spring 2006
"I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about." - Oscar Wilde
Updated On: 4/4/05 at 05:03 PM
#1re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:06pm
There was a children's movie when I was growing up, a musical version of Snow White, which was made as part of a series - and Diana Rigg played the Wicked Queen, and she was awesome.
Wow, I loved that series.
And "Earnest" is SUCH a great/funny show. This should be good.
There's always room for pathos - and jazz hands.
#2re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:11pmMy mouth is watering. I adore Diana.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#3re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:12pm
I'm glad to see this show being revived. I saw it a few years ago in London with Patricia Routledge as Bracknell. I LOVE Diana Rigg as an actress, but I wish that she was coming in a star vehicle. I would have loved to see her do Virginia Woolf or Glass Menagerie on Broadway.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
Updated On: 4/4/05 at 05:12 PM
#4re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:22pmI love this show! Oscar Wilde is one of my fav playwrights! he deserves a revival!! i cant wait to see it! in fact i am reading the play, again, for school. yay i am soo happy! hehe i just really like the play =)
#5re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:23pmI love this play, I'm so excited. I didn't even know there was a planned revival...
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
MargoChanning
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/5/04
#7re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:37pmOne of my favorite plays. Rigg should be a first-rate Bracknell.
"What a story........ everything but the bloodhounds snappin' at her rear end." -- Birdie
[http://margochanning.broadwayworld.com/]
"The Devil Be Hittin' Me" -- Whitney
commasplice
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/29/04
#8re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:42pmI love this play! I just read it again a few weeks ago. I'm excited to hear it's being revived.
sabrelady
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#9re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:45pm
This will be a delight! I can't wait to hear her say:
"Prism, where is that baby?"
bwguyhottie
Featured Actor Joined: 10/23/03
#10re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/4/05 at 5:48pm
i just wrote a paper for my english class on the different women in the play called "Girls Gone Wilde"
MATheaterLover
Understudy Joined: 10/13/04
#11re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 8:12am
I know some of you will scoff at this, but I went to high school with Olivia Wilde from "The O.C." and performed in several shows with her (she was 2 years ahead of me). When I was a freshman, she performed as Gwendolyn Fairfax in "IOBE" and gave a TERRIFIC performance. If she's as smart as I know she is, she's going to be clawing for this part again.
BTW, the changed her last name to Wilde when she moved out to LA as an homage to that production. 
SueleenGay
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/03
#12re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 9:53amHow about Kirsten Dunst for Cecily?
PEACE.
#13re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 10:45amI hope this isn't some excuse to cast 2nd rate movie stars in a play. Rigg will be amazing, but I just hope she gets a good cast, especially the 4 romantic leads. I'm worried that the temptation will be to cast beautiful young actor's (read: fresh meat) with limited stage experience. I hope they make wise decisions. Kirsten Dunst is a mediocre and often horrible actress, and the thought of her on stage isn't a pleasant one in my opinion,
SueleenGay
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/03
#14re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 11:01amBobby, you obviously didn't see Spiderman2 where Kirsten's character does a production of Earnest. I was joking!
PEACE.
#15re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 11:06am
Sueleen...You never know around here. I thought someone was joking once about Idina Menzell playing Rose in Gypsy one day, but it turned out they were dead serious. Oh my.
Updated On: 4/5/05 at 11:06 AM
kissmycookie
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/21/04
#16re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 11:59amI missed Dame Diana when she did Medea. I won't miss this!
robbiej
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#17re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 12:13pmHer work in THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER bodes well for Ms. Rigg's interpretation of Lady Bracknell.
"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."
magruder
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/03
#18re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 1:29pmWow. 28 years since Earnest has been on Broadway? That's kinda something. And Rigg should be a great Lady Bracknell, although I agree it's odd to have her here in such a supporting role.
"Gif me the cobra jool!"
SueleenGay
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/9/03
#19re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 2:06pmI will be interested to see the rest of the cast. Is Rigg a big enough name or will they try some Rupert Everet/Jude Law type thing?
PEACE.
#20re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 2:58pmI've never seen a production of Ernest that has even come close to the flawless original film version.
"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian
#21re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 3:50pm
Bracknell supports nobody in this play. She is, in effect, the major female character. I've seen both Dames, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench soar in the role. Diana Rigg will be wonderful, but I'd rather see Ian McKellan take it on.
"Love Life. Live." Michael Bennett
Derech2
Featured Actor Joined: 10/24/04
#22re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 4:57pm
How awesome! It should go on tour. I'm playing Jack in a school production right now and I've been trying to get ahold of as many tapes and what not to observe as much as I can, but wow! On Broadway! Wonder who the Jack will be ...
This is such a great show. Can't wait to see how it turns out.
Coimhéad fearg fhear na foighde.
#23re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 5:10pm
YES, MEF!! Clive Owen for Algie OR Jack!!!!!!!!! Brilliant!
I really hope this is a good production, and they don't try to camp it up.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#24re: 'Importance of Being Earnest' revival
Posted: 4/5/05 at 5:12pmRobert Sean Leonard as Algernon, please.
Videos