Act One

The show opens on a summer afternoon in London. Lane (Algernon – known to many as Algy – Moncrieff's manservant) runs into Perkins (Jack – also known as Ernest – Worthing's manservant) at the green grocer. Lane promptly discloses that Lady Bracknell and her daughter, Lady Gwendolen Fairfax, are coming over to Algy's house for tea later that day. Various vendors besiege the two servants; the vendors are upset that Jack and Algy owe them money. Lane and Perkins explain that the rich never pay their debts; that's what makes English society so special ("Come Raise Your Cup").

Immediately following, Jack Worthing is in his living room writing a letter to Gwendolen. Perkins returns and reminds Jack about his debts, but Jack is more interested in news about Gwendolen; he thinks that Algy's flat would be the perfect setting for Jack to ask Gwendolen to marry him. Jack asks Perkins for advice about proposing, but he offers none. Alone, Jack laments about not knowing what to say ("How Do You Find the Words?").

Meanwhile, in her dressing room, Gwendolen tries on a series of hats. She wants to look as beautiful as possible when she sees Jack; she is certain that he will propose today. Gwendolen has been told that the first thing that a man notices about a woman is her hat, so she realizes that she must find the perfect one ("The Hat").

We transition to Algy's living room as Jack arrives. Algy informs Jack that Lady Bracknell, who is Algy's aunt, doesn't approve of Jack marrying Gwendolen. Furthermore, neither does Algy. He has found Jack's cigar case with the inscription "From little Cecily, with her fondest love, to her dear Uncle Jack." When pressed, Jack confesses that Cecily is actually his eighteen-year-old ward and that he, himself, is Jack. In the country with Cecily, Jack is known as Jack, but, in London, he is known as Ernest. Algy confesses that he has also invented a persona: a permanent invalid named Bunbury, whom he goes to visit in the country whenever he wishes to get out of town ("Mr. Bunbury"). Jack is ready to get rid of Ernest if Gwendolen agrees to marry him, but Algy tells him that he is crazy, for every man needs an Ernest or a Bunbury.

Eventually, Lady Bracknell and Gwendolen arrive. Lady Bracknell takes Algy into the music room, leaving Jack and Gwendolen alone for a few moments. They passionately profess their love for one another, but Jack still cannot find the words to tell Gwendolen exactly how he feels ("Perfection"). Finally, he proposes, and she accepts, saying that she's always wanted to love someone named Ernest. Jack asks her if she would love him if his name were Jack. She would not.

Gwendolen informs her mother that she is engaged. Lady Bracknell, however, is not enthused. Gwendolen is sent to wait in the carriage while Lady Bracknell questions Jack about his breeding. Jack never knew his parents and was discovered by an older gentleman inside of a handbag in a train station lobby. Lady Bracknell does not approve of this lineage ("A Handbag Is Not a Proper Mother"). If Jack wishes to be considered a suitable husband, he must find another mother and father.

Jack decides he must go home to the country and straighten his life out; he must rid his life of Ernest forever. Algy asks about Cecily, to which Jack replies that Cecily is eighteen and excessively pretty. Algy expresses his interest. Gwendolen reenters and informs Jack that, from the expression on her mother's face, it is evident that they will never marry. Nevertheless, she acquires his country address, and they promise to communicate daily. Listening in the corner, Algy secretly writes the address down. Jack escorts Gwendolen to her carriage, and Lane brings Algy different clothes. He is ready to go to Jack's house in the country ("Mr. Bunbury – Reprise").

The following day, in the garden of Jack's country Manor House, Cecily is watering the roses while her teacher, Miss Prism, is knitting. Miss Prism tells Cecily to study more, since Jack has left strict instructions for her. Cecily wishes that Uncle Jack would let his wild brother come visit. His maid, Effie, announces that Dr. Chausable, the local pastor, has arrived. Miss Prism fakes a slight headache and asks to go for a stroll in the park with Dr. Chausable. He accepts, and the two leave. Effie then announces to Cecily that Jack's younger brother, Ernest, has arrived from London. Cecily is intrigued at finally getting to meet him ("A Wicked Man"). Effie returns with Ernest – who is actually Algy, posing as Ernest – and he aggressively flirts with Cecily, which she enjoys immensely. Cecily hears Miss Prism and Dr. Chausable returning, and the two quickly disappear. The doctor and Miss Prism enter; she encourages the doctor to consider marriage to a mature woman ("Metaphorically Speaking"). Eventually, she has him dancing with his arms around her when Jack enters. He announces that Ernest is dead in Paris. Suddenly, Cecily enters with her own announcement: Ernest has arrived for a visit. Everyone is stunned by Ernest's miraculous recovery... especially Jack.

Jack and Algy are left alone, and Algy says that he is ready to stay for a week. He finds himself enchanted by Cecily. Jack insists that Algy leave, but Algy says that, if he is forced to go, he will wire Gwendolen to come down and see the fraudulent life that Jack is leading in the country. Jack counters that, if Algy does that, he will expose him to Cecily. Algy has no intentions of going anywhere ("A Wicked Man – Reprise").

Act Two

Back at the country manor, Effie and Lane are in a passionate embrace. As Effie snuggles up to Lane, she wagers that Algy and Cecily have probably never even held hands; the upper class rules, regulations, manners and morals make it very difficult to engage in love physically ("You Can't Make Love"). In the garden, Cecily tells Algy that she is sorry that he has been called back to town. He tells her that he is not leaving, yet, because he must first tell Cecily that she is the "visible personification of absolute perfection." She copies the phrase into her diary. He continues to praise her, and she continues to write down all of the praises ("Lost"). He confesses that he is hopelessly in love with her and asks her to marry him. She says that she will and informs him they have actually been engaged for the last three months, as long as she has been in love with Uncle Jack's wicked younger brother. She shows him a ring on her finger and a box of letters from him; she bought the ring and wrote the letters herself, since she never actually met Ernest. Upon hearing this, he is so overtaken with love that he kisses her. She also admits that she could never love someone with a name like Algernon. Upon hearing this, Algy departs on business – to be christened by Dr. Chausable and have his name changed to Ernest.

Next, Effie announces to Cecily that Gwendolen has arrived to see her Uncle Jack. Jack is away at the rector's, so Cecily talks with Gwendolen. The two instantly hit it off and appear to be good friends, as they learn more about each other ("My Very First Impression"). Then, they learn that they are both engaged to whom they think is the same man: Ernest. Jack returns and goes to kiss Gwendolen, who pushes him away, asking if he is engaged to Cecily. She learns his true identity as Jack. When Algy comes in, Cecily points out that he is the real Ernest. Gwendolen exposes him as her cousin. Both women find out that they have been deceived, and Jack confesses that he never had a wicked brother named Ernest. The girls, angry about all that has happened, bond once again and go into the house. Jack is upset, but Algy is nonplussed as he eats the ladies' leftovers from tea ("The Muffin Song").


Gwendolen and Cecily have gone to the Manor House and are both upset. Jack and Algy both enter and admit that they assumed alternate identities, only in the hopes of meeting the ladies. The ladies are flattered but neither can get past the fact that neither man's Christian name is actually Ernest. The men reveal plans of being christened later that day to change their names. The ladies are touched, and all four pledge eternal devotion ("My Eternal Devotion").

Lady Bracknell enters and learns that her daughter is engaged to Jack. She forbids it and also expresses anger over Algy's reunion with Cecily until she learns that Cecily is worth quite a bit of money. Jack, however, says that their engagement is impossible because Cecily cannot marry without his consent until the age of 35, per her grandfather's will. Jack suggests that he will reconsider his stance, however, if Lady Bracknell reconsiders hers on Gwendolen's marriage ("A Handbag Is Not a Proper Mother – Reprise"). Cecily informs Jack that she cannot handle any more time with Miss Prism watching over her. Upon hearing this name, Lady Bracknell demands to see her immediately. With Lady Bracknell gone, the four lovers ponder the situation and decide that they must elope that very afternoon ("The Muffing Song – Reprise").

We transition to the front lawn of the church; Dr. Chausable is preparing for the christenings of Jack and Algy. Eventually, the group enters, and Miss Prism emerges from the church. Lady Bracknell spots her as Miss Prism shrinks. It is revealed that Lady Bracknell left a male baby in Prism's charge nearly thirty years ago. The baby carriage was discovered three weeks later... with no baby. Miss Prism admits that she took the baby out of his carriage while taking him for a stroll, and also took the book that she was writing out of her handbag. When she became distracted, she accidently switched up the baby with the novel. Upon hearing this story, Jack leaves and returns with a black handbag, which Prism says is hers.

Everyone now realizes that Jack was the baby placed in that handbag; Jack is actually the son of Lady Bracknell's sister... or Algy's elder brother! His name is, in fact, Ernest. He isn't a fraud after all and doesn't need to be christened. The lovers end up together, happily ever after, including Miss Prism and Dr. Chausable ("Ernest in Love").