National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being EarnestPG

Directed by Max Webster | UK | 2025 | 2h 50m | Starring Sharon D Clarke, Ncuti Gatwa, Hugh Skinner, Amanda Lawrence, Shereener Browne.

Three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke is joined by Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who; Sex Education) in this joyful reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated comedy. While assuming the role of a dutiful guardian in the country, Jack lets loose in town under a false identity. Meanwhile, his friend Algy adopts a similar facade. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate. Max Webster (Life of Pi) directs this hilarious story of identity, impersonation and romance, filmed live from the National Theatre in London.

Reviews

‘A flawless piece of comic theatre’
★★★★★
Cindy Marcolina, Broadway World

‘Ncuti Gatwa leads a Wilde party of irresistible anarchic charm’
★★★★
Arifa Akbar, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed National Theatre Live: The Importance of Being Earnest between March 2, 2025 and March 6, 2025.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 14th January)

15:15

Fiume o morte! 18
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17:45

Sentimental Value 15
2h 13m | Norwegian w/ English subtitles
Actress Nora confronts her estranged father, a famed director preparing a comeback, and reconnects with her sister. Old tensions and new ambitions collide, forcing them to face their past. Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning star in Joachim Trier’s (The Worst Person in the World) emotionally rich story of reconciliation.

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20:45

Lurker 15
1h 41m
Isolated retail clerk Matthew infiltrates pop star Oliver’s glamorous inner circle but quickly discovers the ruthless social dynamics behind fame. Alex Russell’s directorial debut is a tense psychological thriller for the social media era, where obsession and ambition collide.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 15th January)

14:45

Sentimental Value 15
2h 13m | Norwegian w/ English subtitles
Actress Nora confronts her estranged father, a famed director preparing a comeback, and reconnects with her sister. Old tensions and new ambitions collide, forcing them to face their past. Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning star in Joachim Trier’s (The Worst Person in the World) emotionally rich story of reconciliation.

Book here

17:45

Something's Gotta Give 12A
2h 8m
After womaniser Harry Sanborn suffers a heart attack at a Hamptons house, he’s nursed by playwright Erica Barry, sparking a complicated love triangle. Nancy Meyers’ witty romantic comedy shines through sharp writing and the chemistry between Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson.

Book here

20:45

Sentimental Value 15
2h 13m | Norwegian w/ English subtitles
Actress Nora confronts her estranged father, a famed director preparing a comeback, and reconnects with her sister. Old tensions and new ambitions collide, forcing them to face their past. Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning star in Joachim Trier’s (The Worst Person in the World) emotionally rich story of reconciliation.

Book here


Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road.We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!