IT is a case of life – nearly – imitating art for two members of Wellington Theatre Company who are in the final stages of rehearsal for Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

Having been together for nearly nine years, Kirk Shepherd and Dawn Morton announced their engagement last month and were toasted with champagne by delighted fellow cast members.

Dawn began performing in pantomime in 1998 and Kirk’s first show was Oklahoma in 2011. Since then they have both been on stage and back stage in many local shows.

Even if you are not very familiar with Oscar Wilde’s most popular comedy The Importance of Being Earnest chances are you will recognise the imposing Lady Bracknell’s famous remark ‘A handbag?.’

Members of the audience at Wellington Arts Centre will find out the true identity of the baby who was left in the handbag at Victoria Station.

Jack and Algernon each create alter egos named Ernest to escape their burdensome social obligations.

They attempt to win the hearts of two women who, conveniently, claim to only love men called Ernest. The pair struggle to keep up with their own stories and become tangled in a tale of deception, disguise and misadventure.

The show runs from April 10-13 at 7.30pm and tickets priced £8 are available from Odette’s Tea Room in High Street, Wellington, or online at

ticketsource.co.uk/wellingtonartscentre