A radical revival of Oscar Wilde’s comedy The Importance of Being Earnest visits the Liverpool Playhouse from Tuesday, October 11 to Saturday, October 15.
Created by English Touring Theatre, director Denzel Westley-Sanderson busts the myth Black history started with migrants coming down the Windrush’s gangplank. Instead, the play portrays wealthy Black Victorians to reinvent a study of manners and the corrosive nature of rigid societal conventions.
Denzel said: “I was told at school we came over on the Windrush and that was it. When I started researching Black Victorians, it opened up a whole new world.
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"I knew I had to keep the setting real. These people existed, there were Black Victorians, who were wealthy living in England.
"The play is a wonderfully silly comedy. The important thing is that it brings joy. It’s about reclaiming truth and honouring truth. I hope it opens up conversation so people start to think about Black Victorians and their place in our history.
"If seeing Black people who look stunning in Victorian dress, were rich, who weren’t just on the plantation prompts some curiosity about Black Victorians, I’ll be very happy.”
A farcical comedy where the protagonists escape burdensome social obligations by playing fictitious characters, the play was first performed at the St James's Theatre in London in 1895.
This version has an all-Black cast consisting of established and up-and-coming talent. It tours with a pop-up photography display from Autograph, showcasing studio portraits depicting sitters of African, Caribbean and South Asian descent during the Victorian era in Britain.
The display is part of Black Chronicles: The Missing Chapter, a curatorial research programme led by Autograph. They focus on unearthing nineteenth century photographs of black presences in Britain’s archives.
On winning the 2021 Royal Theatrical Support Trust, Sir Peter Hall Director Award Denzel said: "It was surreal. I was driving home and pulled over at my local park. When I pass that park every day, it brings back that beautiful memory of hearing the news.
"You look back on the struggles, the side hustles and all the unpaid work. It suddenly all feels worth it.
Denzel added: "It’s important, It’s exciting to see new work, hear new voices and different opinions. If we were all the same, it would be so boring.
"I’m excited to see many different versions of plays, seeing different artists’ visions of work we think we know so well. It should be a pool of differences, that’s what makes theatre exciting. It’s very important that everyone has a space to explore and experiment".
For tickets click here.
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