The Importance of Being Earnest

The Importance of Being Earnest, first performed on 14th February 1895 at the St. James's Theatre in London, is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the play's major themes are the triviality with which it treats institutions as serious as marriage and the resulting satire of Victorian way.  It's high farce and witty dialogue have helped make The Importance of Being Earnest Wilde's most enduringly popular play.