Theatre Review Earnest? – by Say It Again, Sorry ?/ Earnest Show Edinburgh Fringe

Running for the entire month of August at the Edinburgh Fringe, Earnest? is a playful reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s classic, but not in the way you might expect. Conceived by theatre-makers Josh King and Simon Paris under the banner of Say It Again, Sorry, this production blends scripted comedy with sharp improvisation and generous audience participation. Staged in the iconic Udderbelly venue, it is attracting large audiences throughout its run. On a very hot day of the festival, it delivered a riot of wit, chaos, and charm, pulling the crowd into the action and making them part of the story.

The cast — Ashley Cavender as Terry, Rhys Tees as Graham, Josh Haberfield as Simon, Ben Mann as Josh, Tryity Silk as Jenny, Judith Amsenga as Eleanor, and Brendan Barclay as George — were joined at various points by other company members who stepped in with impromptu flair. These moments of spontaneous involvement kept the energy high and the surprises coming, with performers happily throwing themselves into the action and weaving audience contributions seamlessly into the unfolding chaos.

The audience responded wholeheartedly to the show’s improvisational style, engaging with it 100% and feeding energy straight back to the performers. In fact, when the cast attempted to “restart” the play Earnest? just a few minutes before the end — as part of the chaotic, self-aware conceit — the audience firmly said “no,” eager to keep the momentum going rather than return to the beginning. It was a perfect example of the production’s playful power dynamic, where the crowd felt just as responsible for steering the story as the cast themselves.

As the performance came to a close, it was clear this had been a big, joyous occasion. Outside the venue, audience members happily chatted with the cast, took photographs, and shared laughter — the atmosphere as buoyant as the show itself. And if you know Oscar Wilde’s work, you can’t help but delight in this inventive, irreverent, and very funny piece of theatre.

Reviewer - Kathryn Gorton 

On - 13th August 2025