Students stage Oscar Wilde play in empty venue to raise money for theatre charity

A group of students have filmed a production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest in the empty Sunderland Empire to raise money for struggling theatre workers.

The show has been created by students from Newcastle University Theatre Society and is directed by Adam Kinneen.

It has been performed and filmed against the backdrop of 2,000 empty seats at the Sunderland Empire, to symbolise the suffering of the arts industry throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

The Importance of Being Earnest will be streamed online on Stream.Theatre from July 2 to 16.

Profits made from ticket sales will be donated to charity Acting for Others, which provides financial and emotional support to theatre workers.

The cast includes Leo MacNeill, Conor O’Hara, Jay Robinson, Max Brennan, Bugsy Bannon, Martha Watson, Louisa Rimmer, Ellie Denton, Harry Higgins, Sean Kavanagh and Finlay Worallo.

The play is produced by Kinneen, Frances Darwin and Lucy Newbold, and has additional scenes written by Kinneen.

"Oscar Wilde figured out the key to immortality was art. He lived as an artist so that his work would live beyond him," Kinneen said.

"When the ‘Save the arts’ movement began to gain traction in the UK, I couldn’t think of anyone better than Wilde to represent why we must protect and preserve the UK’s entertainment industry and all the creatives that form a part of it."

A statement from Acting for Others said: “It is so important that we keep our fundraising campaigns going strong through these difficult times.

"Even as theatres begin to reopen, many workers will still need our help now and in the future.

"Many of the Acting for Others annual fundraising events have been casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic."

The statement added: "Without the help and enthusiasm of the theatrical community, generous donations and brilliant events like these, Acting for Others could not have continued to support theatre workers through the network of 14 member charities."