GWEN TAYLOR as Lady Bracknell leads the cast of The Original Theatre Company’s 2018 tour of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, alongside Susan Penhaligon as Miss Prism at York Theatre Royal 17 – 21 April.

Oscar Wilde’s greatly admired and much loved comedy follows Jack Worthing’s endeavours to marry Algernon’s cousin, the beautiful Gwendolen.

But first he must convince the fearsome Lady Bracknell of his respectability.

Wilde’s classic play looks at the clash of town and country in a story of romance, identity, perambulators and capacious handbags.

Original’s artistic director, Alastair Whatley, directs the production with set and costume designs by Gabriella Slade, sound and music by Giles Thomas and lighting by Alan Valentine.

Hannah Louise Howell plays Gwendolen with Geoff Aymer (Chasuble), Louise Coulthard (Cecily), Thomas Howes (Algernon), Peter Sandys-Clarke (Jack) and Simon Shackleton (Lane/Merriman).

Taylor is best known for playing the title role in the ITV sitcom Barbara, as well as Anne Foster in Coronation Street, Peggy Armstrong in Heartbeat, Rita Simcock in A Bit of A Do, for which she was nominated for a BAFTA TV Best Actress Award, and Amy in Duty Free.

Her film appearances include The Lady in the Van and Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Gwen most recently played Mrs Bramson in Luke Sheppard’s critically-acclaimed touring production of Emlyn Williams’ Night Must Fall and Daisy Worthen in Driving Miss Daisy at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre. Other theatre credits include Calendar Girls (UK Tour), the title role in the national tour of Shirley Valentine, Top Girls (Royal Court and New York), and Gertrude in Sir Peter Hall’s production of Hamlet (London’s Gielgud Theatre and national tour).

Penhaligon recently appeared in Rufus Norris’ production of Cabaret alongside Will Young and Louise Redknapp. She has a wide range of TV credits to her name, including Upstairs Downstairs, Tales of the Unexpected, Bergerac and A Bouquet of Barbed Wire. She played Judi Dench’s sister Helen in four series of the award-winning BBC sitcom A Fine Romance, and the regular role of Jean Hope in ITV’s Emmerdale. Susan also played Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew for the BBC’s Shakespeare season. Howell’s theatre credits include The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by Alastair Whatley earlier this year at South Hill Park Arts Centre, Engineers Blue (Brass Works Theatre, Bristol), Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Ludlow Assembly Rooms), Mermaid (Swan Theatre, Worcester), Much Ado About Nothing (The Regal, Tenbury Wells) and Ghosts (Courtyard Theatre).

Aymer most recently appeared in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Young Vic. His other theatre credits include To Kill A Mockingbird (Regents Park Open Air, National Tour, Barbican), The Lightning Child and Macbeth (Shakespeare’s Globe) and Driving Miss Daisy (The Canal Cafe and Frinton Summer Theatre). Geoff’s Television credits include Guerilla (Sky Atlantic and Showtime) and EastEnders (BBC 1).

Coulthard won the Lustrum Award at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe for her play, Cockamamy. Her theatre credits include House and Garden (The Watermill Theatre), The Late Wedding (Theatre Royal Stratford East) and Dreams of Home (Theatre Royal Stratford East).

Howes is best known as William Mason in ITV’s Downton Abbey. He has since appeared as Yashvin in the 2012 film adaptation of Anna Karenina and played Winston Churchill in Murdoch Mysteries (ITV). His theatre credits include Ratty in The Wind in the Willows: The Musical (UK Tour), The Mousetrap (Original UK Tour), The Winslow Boy (Theatre Royal Bath) and The History Boys (National Theatre/ West End).

Sandys-Clarke’s theatre credits include Ronald Storrs in Ross (Chichester Festival Theatre), Peter Gilbert in The Browning Version (Theatre Royal Bath and tour), Gerald in When We Are Married (Garrick Theatre), Jerry in A Daughter’s a Daughter (Trafalgar Studios), Withers in The Letter (Wyndham’s Theatre and tour) and Raleigh in Journey’s End (Playhouse Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre). His TV work includes The Royals (E!), The Crown (Netflix) and Indian Summers (Channel 4).

Shackleton most recently played Professor Christopher Riley in Shadowlands, directed by Alastair Whatley. His other theatre credits include Journey’s End (West End and UK tour), An Ideal Husband (Northampton Repertory Theatre), As You Like It (Bridewell Theatre), Blithe Spirit (Chichester Festival Theatre). Simon has appeared in EastEnders (BBC), Silk (BBC), The Queen (Blast Films), Lewis (ITV) and Torchwood (BBC).

The Importance of Being Earnest, York Theatre Royal, April 17-21, Evenings 7.30pm. Matinees Thu 2pm and Sat 2.30pm, Audio described Sat 21 April, 2.30pm. Tickets £32-50 - £15.50, Box office 01904 623568, http://yorktheatreroyal.co.uk