Stephen Fry is set to appear as Lady Bracknell at this year’s Royal Variety Performance 2025 at the Royal Albert Hall.
Stephen Fry’s appearance comes direct from his acclaimed turn as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest at the Noël Coward Theatre in London.
Stephen will join a star-studded line-up at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 19 November 2025.
Hosted by Jason Manford, this year’s Royal Variety Performance will feature showstopping moments from several West End musicals, including Les Misérables, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary with a 400-strong finale featuring Michael Ball and more; new show Paddington The Musical, which will feature the cast of the major new musical; Strictly’s Johannes Radebe taking to the Royal Albert Hall stage in a number from Kinky Boots the Musical; and Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure introducing the cast of West End show Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical.
Other acts include Jessie J, Madness, Laufey, Harry Moulding, Tom Davis, Mick Miller, the cast of Dead Ringers, and America’s Got Talent winners Adrian Stoica and his dog Hurricane.
The annual event, in aid of the Royal Variety Charity and attended by members of the Royal Family, will be broadcast on ITV1, with the date to be announced.
The Royal Variety Performance 2025 takes place at the Royal Albert Hall, London, on 19 November 2025.
Also see: Royal Variety Performance 2025 – What we know so far
More about The Importance of Being Earnest
Max Webster’s revival of Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy has transferred from the National Theatre, and is now playing at the Noël Coward Theatre in London until 10 January 2026.
A glittering cast for The Importance of Being Earnest includes pop star and actor Olly Alexander (It’s a Sin) as Algernon Moncrieff, Stephen Fry as Lady Bracknell, Hugh Dennis (Outnumbered, Not Going Out) as Reverend Canon Chasuble, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Femme) as Jack Worthing, Shobna Gulati (Coronation Street) as Miss Prism, Kitty Hawthorne (Kerry Jackson) as Gwendolen Fairfax, Jessica Whitehurst (Cyrano) as Cecily Cardew, Hayley Carmichael (The Cat and The Canary) as Merriman/Lane.
Produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions and the National Theatre, and directed by Max Webster (Macbeth, Life of Pi, One Day The Musical), the production was a huge success at the National, enjoying a host of positive reviews from the critics.
In The Importance of Being Earnest, while assuming the role of dutiful guardian in the country, Jack lets loose in town under a false identity. Meanwhile, his friend Algy takes on a similar façade. Unfortunately, living a double life has its drawbacks, especially when it comes to love. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate.
The Importance of Being Earnest is now playing at the Noël Coward Theatre in London until 10 January 2026.
Book tickets to The Importance of Being Earnest at the Noel Coward Theatre London
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