The actors of local production company Class Act Drama have donated all the proceeds of their performances of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest to Jesmond Library.

“The library could possibly turn into a home for our group,” said Bernie Legg, director of the play and founder of Class Act Drama which staged two performances at the library at the beginning of February. Adrienne Laidler, one of the actors, added: “The library offers a really good space and is perfect to cater for all different types of audience as well.”

The audience, which included children and adults, watched the all-female cast play both male and female characters. “It’s nice to see plays in the library,” said audience member Margaret Ferguson. “It was pleasant to witness an all-women cast playing male roles.”

Poet Keith Jewitt, author of In a Magpie’s eye: The Jesmond Year in Haiku, told JesmondLocal that he “truly enjoyed the play. The actors maintained the energy level throughout and didn’t stop believing in what they were doing since it’s crucial in the act of story-telling. It was a tremendous achievement for the cast to memorise and keep up with the dialogues.”

Legg, the director of the play, said she was astounded by the performance of the group since it felt like an unachievable task in the beginning.

Class Act Drama was founded more than a decade ago as a drama group for children but later evolved into one for adults too.