The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre has announced the full cast for its upcoming contemporary revival of Oscar Wilde’s An Ideal Husband, as the venue prepares to mark exactly a century since the play was last staged on its boards.
Directed by the Lyric’s associate director, Nicholai La Barrie, the production will see Jamael Westman – best known for his Olivier-nominated title role in the original London cast of Hamilton – return to the theatre as the charismatic Lord Goring. He stars alongside Tamara Lawrance, whose recent leading turn in the BBC’s Get Millie Back has cemented her status as one of the most compelling actors of her generation.
Tamara Lawrance & Jamal Westman. Image via production.
The production, a collaboration with Bristol Old Vic, aims to strip away the Victorian lace of Wilde’s 1895 original to expose the “rarefied world of modern, affluent London.” In a digital age where, as the production notes suggest, “scandal is trending,” the play’s interrogation of public reputation and private integrity feels pointedly relevant to a Britain still grappling with the fallout of political sleaze.
A ‘Mirror to Us All’
La Barrie, whose previous credits at the Lyric include God of Carnage, described the play as an exploration of the “contradictions that define us.”
“A century after it was written, these themes feel as urgent as ever,” La Barrie said. “We are still navigating the same questions—how to balance ambition with integrity, how to reconcile private mistakes with public lives. Wilde wraps these struggles in razor-sharp wit, reminding us that laughter can be a way of facing uncomfortable truths.”
The casting represents a significant “new guard” of British talent reclaiming a classic often associated with a narrow, white aristocratic tradition. Joining Westman and Lawrance are:
- Chiké Okonkwo (New Tricks) as the embattled Sir Robert Chiltern.
- Aurora Perrineau (KAOS) as the calculating Mrs Cheveley.
- Tiwa Lade as Mabel Chiltern.
- Emmanuel Akwafo (For Black Boys…) as Mason/Phipps
- Suzette Llewellyn (Eastenders) as Lady Markby
Rounding out the cast are Jeff Alexander, Nimmy March and Sule Thelwell.
In a nod to the production’s contemporary sonic landscape, the BBC Radio 1Xtra and Radio 2 DJ Trevor Nelson MBE will also lend his voice to the show.\
Emmanuel Akwafo, Jeff Alexander, Nimmy March, Suzette Llewellyn, Tamara Lawrance, Tiwa Lade, Chiké Okonkwo, Aurora Perrineau, Sule Thelwell and Jamael Westman (Image via production)
Modern Opulence
The revival forms a centrepiece of Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan’s 2026 season. While the 1926 production at the Lyric was a period-accurate affair, 2026’s version promises an “opulent, modern-day” aesthetic. The creative team includes set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, lighting designer Zeynep Kepekli, and sound designer Holly Khan.
Book your tickets to An Ideal Husband
Performance Information & Tickets
Venue: Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, London
Dates: Thursday 07 May – Saturday 06 June 2026
Transfer: Bristol Old Vic, 10 – 20 June 2026
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