"A production of Wilde elegance. Superb comedic performances, stunning costumes, and remarkable sets" —The Province [Read More]

"Crowd-pleasing Earnest is Wildely entertaining" —The Vancouver Courier [Read More]

"An absolute treat to behold…not be missed" —Jay Catterson, The Charlebois Post [Read More]

"Has both delicious sparkle and impressive kick" —Toronto Sun

"The rare work of art that achieves perfection on its own terms" —The New York Times

"Wilde skewers intellectual pretentiousness, societal hypocrisy, and class-conscious ambition…still one of the funniest plays in the English language" —The Hollywood Reporter

Audience Comments

"I highly recommend!"
—Tara

"The play was delightful. The cast was terrific. Ryan Beil was what sold us the tickets, but all of the cast was good. Allan Zinyk was terrific. David Mackay did a good job directing"
—JoAnn, Surrey

"Hilarious! What a great way to spend an afternoon"
—Lorne, Maple Ridge

"Absolutely LOVED IT! We have seen about 8 different productions of The Importance of Being Earnest in the last 30 years...and we enjoyed this one the most! The entire cast is exceptional…. Special kudos to Ryan Beil for an excellent performance. This type of production values are the reasons we keep renewing our subscription to the Arts Club. Mega Thanks!"
—Gail, Coquitlam

"Excellent comedy. Very tight group. First play that I would consider seeing again immediately"
—Don, West Vancouver

"The dialogue was delightful, so perfectly delivered…. how do they remember all those lines!"
—Gail, Vancouver

"A knockout! An absolute gem"
—Paul

"The best performance I've seen at the Arts Club in the last 3 years"
—Larry, Aldergrove

"A delightful rendition of an old favorite! Oscar Wilde's wit combined with director David Mackay's unique approach make for a very entertaining performance"
—Elizabeth, Surrey

"Attended the performance last night and went in having reservations as the previous performances put on by the Arts Club at the Stanley were utterly amazing and hard acts to follow. I need not to have worried as this play proved to be fabulous: entertaining, hilarious, and well-cast. It was especially fun to see Ryan on the stage instead of the small screen. Well-done and looking forward to seeing High Society, Buddy Holly Story and a new season next year! Am now a firm believer in seasons tickets!"
—Susan, North Vancouver

"Loved the use of music and lighting and the cheesy moments. Lots of fun. All actors were good, but I especially liked: Earnest and Aunt Augusta"
—Pamela

"I thoroughly enjoyed the show—the 2nd half particularly. One of the best this season"
—Sheena

"Well-done. What intricate lines each actor had. They must be exhausted at the end of each perfect performance that they give"
—Bonnie

"One of the funniest I have been to in a long time. Would recommend seeing this one"
—Glenda, Surrey

"What a wonderful show! Sets, costumes and, of course, the actors, a true delight!"
—Rachella

"A thoroughly delightful take on Wilde's classic play. Most enjoyable"
—Daniel, Vancouver

"Loved it!!!! We had a wonderful afternoon and laughed and laughed at the antics of the actors. The costumes and set were great. I especially loved the girl's hats. Thanks everyone. Looking forward to High Society"
—Nora, Vancouver

"The play was witty funny and entertaining. It is worth seeing and it is thoroughly enjoyable"
—Teresa, Vancouver

"This performance of The Importance of Being Earnest was absolutely fantastic. Ryan Beil and Charlie Gallant did a brilliant job of bringing Oscar Wilde's timeless classic to life. I would highly recommend it to anyone that loves to laugh!"
—Alyssa, Coquitlam

"Witty, well-paced with a lively, wonderful cast, this production was a treat for the eyes, ears and brain. I enjoyed every aspect of this production, including the wonderful costuming, and I must say the butler(s) were every bit as enjoyable as the lead actors. Bravo!"
—Darlene, Pitt Meadows

"With breathtaking sets, mind-blowing acting and eyebrow-raising accents, Arts Club Theatre's production of The Importance of Being Earnest is a wunderkammer of surprises from start to finish"
—Owen, Vancouver

"Pure joy and smooth acting, lots of laughter and relevance for nowadays in this comedy classic"
—Nikola

"As usual, we thoroughly enjoyed this play at the Stanley Theatre. The actors were all excellent and it really appeared that they had a great deal of fun doing the play. This is always so nice to see"
—Sharon, Chilliwack

"We were really impressed. All the roles were well–acted, but the two leads were absolutely perfectly cast and perfectly played. The set design reinforced the feeling of whimsy required for this play. And most of all, the director is to be commended for combining both a light touch and a wonderful attention to detail—and regularly surprising us while bringing out the laughter. The lighting treatment for the asides was clever (although a bit too clever once, for the "missed position cue") and the piano bits were cute and useful. All 'round a lot of fun and very well done"
—Tom

"A delightful production. Thoroughly entertaining. Enthralling from beginning to end. Wonderful acting. Obviously well–directed. It caps what has proved to be another terrific Arts Club season for us"
—Ian, Vancouver

"Really enjoyed this production. A bit campy, a bit saucy and a lot fun. Well–done. Algernon and Cecily were perfectly cast. The rest of the cast was very good too. Thanks!"
—Margaret

"Good and funny play but what I liked the most was the costume. Big CONGRATS to Nancy Bryant and all the people who put the costumes together, from the jackets to the jewelry of aunt Augusta (Lady Bracknell). Very nicely done"
—Carola

"This was a witty and enjoyable play that we enjoyed very much. The acting was excellent and the timing of the comments perfect. Would recommend to others with no hesitation. Thanks for a wonderful performance"
—Johanna, New Westminster

"The best one yet. What a cast! What a performance. 100% fantastic and fun. How on earth do they remember those multitudinous lines?"
—Donna, North Vancouver

"Loved it! Thought the production, directing and acting were superb. One of the best plays I have seen this season!"
—Christine, Surrey

"So full of fun! The actors were all well-equipped to play their roles. They really looked their parts. Thank you for an enjoyable afternoon!"
—Margie, Langley

"Thoroughly enjoyed it! So many good laughs! Lots and lots of fun!"
—S. White, Richmond

"With my arm extended over my head, I snap my fingers, a light shines down on me, and I say ‘Wonderful, it could not have been better.’ Thanks to all involved"
—Sheila

Behind The Scenes

Introducing The Importance of Being Earnest

A note from Director David Mackay

Setting the Stage for Earnest

A most earnest Glamourama

Artistic team

By Oscar Wilde
Starring Ryan Beil, Simon Bradbury, Charlie Gallant, Allan Gray, Amber Lewis, Ella Simon, Deborah Williams, Allan Zinyk
Director David Mackay
Set Designer Amir Ofek
Costume Designer Nancy Bryant
Lighting Designer Marsha Sibthorpe
Sound Designer Murray Price
Stage Manager Allison Spearin
Assistant Stage Manager Pamela Jakobs

Downloads

House Programme

Bill's Notes for The Importance of Being Earnest