wilde times
8 Jun 2026
Oscar Wilde's plays have been delighting audiences for generations with their razor-sharp wit, social satire and unforgettable characters. At Bristol Old Vic, the oldest continuously working theatre in the English-speaking world, his work has long held a special place on the stage.
One of the earliest Wilde productions associated with the emerging Bristol Old Vic company was The Importance of Being Earnest, staged during the 1946 season as the company was just becoming formally established. It starred Jane Henderson as Lady Bracknell, Thomas Heathcote as Algernon Moncrieff and Joanna Horder as Cecily Cardew.
Choosing Wilde's sophisticated political comedy reflected the theatre's early commitment to classic British drama and began a lasting relationship with the playwright's work. Over the years, Bristol Old Vic has returned regularly to Wilde's plays.
A standout example was the theatre's 2004 all-male production of The Importance of Being Earnest, which playfully echoed Victorian theatre traditions. The inventive casting brought fresh energy to Wilde's much-loved comedy and highlighted just how adaptable his writing remains.
In 1990, the theatre staged Lady Windermere's Fan, starring Joely Richardson in the title role. Wilde's sharp observations on reputation, marriage and morality found an enthusiastic audience, while Richardson's performance helped introduce the play to a new generation.
More recently, Bristol Old Vic has continued to celebrate Wilde's genius with productions such as the upcoming An Ideal Husband from Lyric Hammersmith. With its mix of political intrigue, romance and sparkling dialogue, the play remains as entertaining and relevant today as it was when Wilde first wrote it.
Bristol Old Vic has always found new ways to bring classic works to contemporary audiences, and Wilde's plays continue to prove why he remains one of the most beloved and frequently performed playwrights in the English language.
