Rehearsal images have been released for An Ideal Husband at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, ahead of the production opening next month.
The new production of Oscar Wilde’s comedy is directed by Lyric Associate Director Nicholai La Barrie and is presented in association with Bristol Old Vic.
The show runs at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from Thursday 7 May to Saturday 6 June 2026, before transferring to Bristol Old Vic from 10 to 20 June 2026.
Staged on the 100th anniversary of the play’s last appearance at the Lyric in 1926, this contemporary reimagining is set in modern, affluent London.
The cast includes Emmanuel Akwafo, Jeff Alexander, Nimmy March, Suzette Llewellyn, Tamara Lawrance, Tiwa Lade, Chiké Okonkwo, Aurora Perrineau, Sule Thelwell and Jamael Westman.
Jamael Westman returns to the Lyric following his appearance in Aladdin at the venue in 2011.
The play centres on Sir Robert Chiltern, whose pristine public reputation is threatened when the manipulative Mrs Cheveley arrives with secrets that could cause scandal and betrayal.
Director Nicholai La Barrie said: “An Ideal Husband is, at its heart, about the contradictions that define us: love and betrayal, politics and family, forgiveness and redemption, morality and greed. A century after it was written, these themes feel as urgent as ever. We are still navigating the same questions – how to balance ambition with integrity, how to forgive the people we love, 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. What I love most about this play is how it holds a mirror to us all, exposing the masks we wear in society while gently nudging us to find compassion, honesty, and even humor in our flaws.”
Rachel O’Riordan, Artistic Director of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, said: “At the Lyric, we’re excited by classic works and reimagining them for our vibrant of today. Nicholai La Barrie’s major new production of An Ideal Husband, set in an opulent, modern-day London, will do exactly that.”
The creative team includes set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, lighting designer Zeynep Kepekli, sound designer Holly Khan and movement director Alexzandra Sarmiento.
An Ideal Husband is a Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production in association with Bristol Old Vic.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
