On Saturday 26 July, the team at Castle Drogo invite you to an evening of wit and humour as The Hatherleigh Players put on a 1920s version of Oscar Wilde’s classic 1895 comedy The Importance of Being Earnest.

The Castle was originally built between 1911 and 1930 and so it provides a great backdrop for a performance of this Oscar Wilde favourite – expect Charleston dancing, mistaken identities, arguments over muffins and cucumber sandwiches and of course, A HANDBAG!

All proceeds from the performance will be split between The Hatherleigh Players and the ‘Save castle Drogo’ project. Perched high on Dartmoor with far reaching views, Castle Drogo has suffered major structural problems ever since completion which has resulted in serious leaks and water penetration throughout the building. If extensive conservation was not carried out, the castle would eventually have become inaccessible and this national treasure would have been lost forever.

The project involves installing a new waterproof system on the roof, refurbish the 913 windows and replace over 60,000 metres of pointing. Save Castle Drogo is one of the largest projects ever undertaken by the National Trust, is partly funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Interreg, a European grant.

Gates open at 6pm, and the performance starts at 6.30pm.Come rain or shine, the performance will take place in the beautiful Castle Drogo gardens. Please don’t forget to bring a picnic, something to sit on and plenty of sunshine. You could even pre-order a picnic from the fantastic Castle Drogo café which will then be ready for you to collect on the night.

Tickets are available from Richard Tidball Insurance Services in Hatherleigh, and the Castle Drogo shop. Adults £7, Concessions £5, Children £3.