Writers: Helen Norton & Jonathan White

Director: Conor Hanratty

Ten years after To Hell in a Handbag: The Secret Lives of Canon Chasuble & Miss Prism debuted at Bewley’s Café Theatre, the play returns to Grafton Street and once again sells out. Conor Hanratty directs this comedic take on Oscar Wilde’s classic, The Importance of Being Earnest. 

In the vein of Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, this production focuses on two minor characters from Wilde’s play, rather than any of the main protagonists. Chaste but flirtatious side-characters Dr Chasuble (Jonathan White) and Miss Prism (Helen Norton) appear in Dr Chasuble’s residence, and the play revolves around their conversations. The scenes take place during the same period as The Importance of Being Earnest, making it more deleted-scenes than sequel. Blackmail, fraud, drunken revelry and marriage are all themes in this work, as the pair discuss the town gossip, diving into various tangents and segues and mysteries in a whimsical hour that at its best feels like an uncovered addition to Wilde’s great work. 

Writers Helen Norton and Jonathan White reprise their roles in To Hell in a Handbag, and perform their play as if the decade-long interval had never occurred. Set and costume designers Maree Kearns and Saileóg O’Halloran do a fantastic job of scene setting, allowing the actors to shine. Caitríona Ní Mhurchú, Shane O’Reilly and Kathy Rose O’Brien provide voiceover work for the show. 

While at parts To Hell in a Handbag’s period dialogue strays somewhere close to Oscar Wilde fan-fiction, on the whole it is an impressive and enjoyable production. Norton is superb. White is similarly impressive, and the pair have an excellent chemistry together on stage. It is probably the right length, as any longer the playful nature of the production might have become tiring. As it stands, the play is intelligent, funny and well crafted; Once Off Productions’ To Hell in a Handbag is a very enjoyable way to spend a lunchtime. 

Runs Until 5th Sep 2026. 

https://www.thereviewshub.com/to-hell-in-a-handbag-bewleys-cafe-theatre-dublin/