The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of false identities and true love has a brilliant history on stage. Over the years, the iconic role of Lady Bracknell has been played by what seems like a who’s who of British greatness as Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Penelope Keith have all uttered the immortal words of “A handbag?” on the stage.

Beginning July 2015, Sir David Suchet will don Lady Bracknell’s heels for a London West End revival run of Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest to be directed by Adrian Noble, who was artistic director and chief executive of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1990-2003. Suchet, coming off a quarter-century gig playing Hercule Poirot, said: “I always knew it would be a challenge to find another character as extraordinary to play. I also wanted comedy. Lady Bracknell is both.”
 

After filming every book that Agatha Christie wrote around the Belgian detective over the last 25 years, Suchet, who said farewell to Poirot this past Autumn in “Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case”, said “…couldn’t resist trading in my moustache for her heels“.

Any thoughts?