The Comedies

Experience the wit of Wilde in these four delightfully satiric playsincluding his masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest. In the late nineteenth century, Oscar Wildes plays were the toast of London, celebrated for the Irish playwrights mischievous wit, pointed social satire, and gift for energetic farce. Lady Windermeres Fan: Gossip leads Lady Windermere to believe her husband is having an affair, and when the woman in question appears at her party, she makes an impulsive choice that threatens to destroy her reputation. An Ideal Husband: When a femme fatale blackmails prestigious politician Sir Robert Chittern, his wife is forced to re-evaluate her standards for an ideal husband. A Woman of No Importance: Young Gerald Arbuthnot is honored to be chosen as secretary to the sophisticatedand flirtatiousLord Illingworth. So why does Geralds mother oppose the appointment? The Importance of Being Earnest: In the playful sendup of Victorian courtship and manners, bachelors Jack and Algernon each woo ladies using the ironic alias of Ernest.