A recording of the National Theatre production will come to the big screen next February.
In recent years the National Theatre has brought many of its finest productions to cinemas around the country – and the latest play to get the big-screen treatment will be the upcoming revival of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest.
The production – which is directed by Life of Pi's Max Webster – stars the Doctor himself, Ncuti Gatwa, and another Whoniverse alumnus (and three-time Olivier Award winner), Sharon D Clarke, and also features Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ (Rain Dogs), Eliza Scanlen (Little Women) and Hugh Skinner (Fleabag).
The production will be recorded during its run at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton stage from 20th November 2024 until 25th January 2025, and the filmed version will play in cinemas around the world from 20th February 2025.
Billed as a "joyful reimagining" of the classic comedy, the official synopsis reads: "While assuming the role of a dutiful guardian in the country, Jack (Skinner) lets loose in town under a false identity.
"Meanwhile, his friend Algy (Ncuti Gatwa) adopts a similar facade. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate."
If you're eager to get that February 2025 date in your diary, you can find their nearest screening now.
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Although best known for his TV work, Gatwa is no stranger to the theatre, having begun his acting career by appearing in several productions at the Dundee Rep before starring as Mercutio in a 2014 production of Romeo & Juliet at HOME in Manchester.
His further theatre credits include roles in productions such as Shakespeare in Love at The Noël Coward Theatre, A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe and The Claim at The Crucible.
And speaking when his casting was announced, director Webster explained that it was in the aforementioned A Midsummer Night's Dream that Gatwa had first caught his eye, before he went on to further admire his work in Sex Education.
He said: "I thought he would be a really witty, flamboyant and fabulous Algy, and he was the first person I thought of - it’s amazing he’s doing this."
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Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
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