Innomaster Qianhai and Dramatic Marvels will present an adapted version of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” on Saturday night. The organizers said proceeds of the event will be donated to the Shenzhen Futian Public Welfare Association.

The play will be in English with Chinese subtitles. The plot has been adapted with some of the places transposed from Britain to China and the language much closer to modern spoken English. The performers are all non-native English speakers, with a mixture of foreigners and Chinese.

First performed in 1895 at the St. James’ Theater in London, Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personas to escape burdensome social obligations. Working within the social conventions of late Victorian London, the original play’s major themes are the triviality with which conventions treat institutions as serious, such as marriage, and the result is a great satire of Victorian ways. Some contemporary reviews praised the play’s humor and the culmination of Wilde’s artistic career, while others were cautious about its lack of social messages. Its high farce and witty dialogue have helped make “The Importance of Being Earnest” Wilde’s most enduringly popular play.

Time: 7:30 p.m., April 17

Tickets: 138 yuan

Booking: “大麦” (“Damai”) WeChat miniprogram

Venue: Building 2, Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Youth Innovation and Entrepreneur Hub (前海深港青年梦工场2号楼)

Metro: Line 9 to Menghai Station (梦海站), Exit C

(SD News)