by Oscar Wilde We should treat all trivial things in life very seriously, and all serious things of life with a sincere and studied triviality. - Oscar Wilde First performed in 1895, The Importance of Being Earnest is a play in three acts full of mix-ups, unexpected plot twists, mistaken identities and extraordinary quickfire wit. Cecily Cardew and Gwendolen Fairfax both fall in love with a man called Ernest who doesn't exist. That's because he's the invention of Jack Worthing, who needed a black-sheep of a brother to blame his bad behavior on. Things become complicated when Jack falls in love with Gwendolen, his friend Algernon falls for Cecily and nobody knows who anybody else is any more as the plot heads for disaster. This is Wilde's most popular play and its unforgettable characters still cut the mustard today as Wilde's wit and wordplay raise low English farce to brilliant heights. Pub Date: 2020 Format: Paperback Pages: 320 Size: 5.00 x 8.00 in ISBN: 9781838575779