VIDEO - Barbara star takes on the role of Lady Bracknell

The Importance of Being Earnest is coming to York

Picture credit - The Other Richard

Duty Free and Barbara star, Gwen Taylor as Lady Bracknell,  leads the cast of The Original Theatre Company’s 2018 tour of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, alongside Susan Penhaligon as Miss Prism at York Theatre Royal 17 – 21 April.

Oscar Wilde’s greatly admired and much loved comedy follows Jack Worthing’s endeavours to marry Algernon’s cousin, the beautiful Gwendolen.

But first he must convince the fearsome Lady Bracknell of his respectability.

Wilde’s classic play looks at the clash of town and country in a story of romance, identity, perambulators and capacious handbags.

The Original Theatre Company’s Artistic Director, Alastair Whatley, directs the production with set and costume designs by Gabriella Slade, sound and music by Giles Thomas and lighting by Alan Valentine.

Hannah Louise Howell plays Gwendolen with Geoff Aymer (Chasuble), Louise Coulthard (Cecily), Thomas Howes (Algernon), Peter Sandys-Clarke (Jack) and Simon Shackleton (Lane/Merriman).

VIDEO - Gwen Taylor in Central Television's Barbara

Gwen Taylor is best known for playing the title role in the ITV sitcom Barbara, as well as Anne Foster in Coronation Street, Peggy Armstrong in Heartbeat, Rita Simcock in A Bit of A Do, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA TV Best Actress Award, and Amy in Duty Free.

Her film appearances include The Lady in the Van and Monty Python's Life of Brian.

Susan Penhaligon (Pictured above) recently appeared in Rufus Norris’ production of Cabaret alongside Will Young and Louise Redknapp.

She has a wide range of TV credits to her name, including Upstairs Downstairs, Tales of the Unexpected, Bergerac and A Bouquet of Barbed Wire.

She played Judi Dench’s sister Helen in four series of the award-winning BBC sitcom A Fine Romance, and the regular role of Jean Hope in ITV’s Emmerdale.

Other cast members

Hannah Louise Howell’s theatre credits include The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Alastair Whatley earlier this year at South Hill Park Arts Centre, Engineers Blue (Brass Works Theatre, Bristol), Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Ludlow Assembly Rooms), Mermaid (Swan Theatre, Worcester), Much Ado About Nothing (The Regal, Tenbury Wells) and Ghosts (Courtyard Theatre).

Geoff Aymer most recently appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Young Vic. His other theatre credits include To Kill A Mockingbird (Regents Park Open Air, National Tour, Barbican), The Lightning Child and Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Driving Miss Daisy (The Canal Cafe and Frinton Summer Theatre). Geoff’s Television credits include Guerilla (Sky Atlantic and Showtime) and EastEnders (BBC 1).

Louise Coulthard won the Lustrum Award at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe for her play, Cockamamy. Her theatre credits include House and Garden (The Watermill Theatre), The Late Wedding (Theatre Royal Stratford East) and Dreams of Home (Theatre Royal Stratford East).

Thomas Howes is best known for playing William Mason in ITV’s Downton Abbey.

Peter Sandys-Clarke’s theatre credits include Ronald Storrs in Ross (Chichester Festival Theatre)

Simon Shackleton most recently played Professor Christopher Riley in the UK tour of Shadowlands, directed by Alastair Whatley.  Simon has appeared in EastEnders (BBC), Silk (BBC), The Queen (Blast Films), Lewis (ITV) and Torchwood (BBC).

LISTINGS INFORMATION
The Original Theatre Company presents
The Importance of Being Earnest
York Theatre Royal, 17 – 21 April
Evenings 7.30pm
Matinees Thu 2pm and Sat 2.30pm

Audio described Sat 21 April, 2.30pm
Tickets £32-50 - £15.50
Box office 01904 623568