You could star in 'The Importance of Being... Earnest?'

'A beautifully chaotic, comedic masterpiece with an overly involved audience' is one way to describe the interactive theatre show The Importance of Being...Earnest?.

This latest offering from creative company 'Say It Again, Sorry' makes its full run debut at the Fringe this year. Audience interaction and participation are at the heart of this show; it's a riotous twist on a much-loved classic. After the actor playing Ernest in this Oscar Wilde favourite fails to arrive, an audience member is quickly cast in the lead role; setting off a hilarious chain of events as more theatre-goers are encouraged to step into the showbiz spotlight.

This is for fans of The Play That Goes Wrong, Sh!t Faced Shakespeare and Austentatious. We spoke to cast member Louise Goodfield about the controlled madness and the audience curveballs...

Do you love the original The Importance of Being Earnest?

No it's awful. I joke! I love it much more since making our version of it. It was a wonderful opportunity to return to the original play and rediscover the spirit and see the glint in Oscar Wilde's eye written down.

When I studied it at school, I don't remember feeling as inspired as I do now about the original, the old and new have blended in my mind to create something even better and this is how I like to remember it.

Do we need to already know the play to understand the show?

Not at all! We once had a Q&A where a 50-year-old woman and a woman in her early twenties were sat next to each other. One of them knew the play and one of them didn't at all. They both loved it just as much and for different reasons, talking and connecting about the show and they didn't even know each other, it was quite beautiful to watch actually.

What curve balls have audiences thrown at you in the show?

SO many. We once had someone insist on taking their beer on stage. We had someone who lost their glasses in one of the costume's pockets which was very funny and became a kind of scene in itself. We had a very young boy nominate himself to audition for the part of Cecily. We've had spit handshakes and 'stage' slaps. All sorts!

Can we just watch and still have as much fun? Or is it better to be on the stage...?

Watching is definitely just as fun as treading the boards but you will be feeling a little 'what if' afterwards if you didn't, I can assure you - so I'd recommend coming twice, once to experience 'behind the scenes' as a leading character, and the other to laugh at your friends while they figure out how to be an actor without any rehearsal!

In all seriousness, we set out to eradicate the physical and mental barriers between the actor and audience. So being as inclusive as possible is at the heart of our devices and it really is a group challenge to rescue an absolute classic from tanking.

How many audience members does it take to change a lightbulb? ... that's on stage... and is meant to be switched on.

It takes none. They're too busy having a sword fight with Algernon with nothing but air to defend themselves.

The Importance of Being...Earnest? is at Pleasance Courtyard (Beyond room) at 1:30pm from 3rd to 28th August. pleasance.co.uk