Independent Theatre presents Dion Boucicault's 1841 comedy at UKARIA Cultural Centre on Saturday 8 August 2026. An ageing London dandy arrives in the countryside seeking a young bride but finds himself caught in a tangle of mismatched affections.
Independent Theatre brings Dion Boucicault's London Assurance to UKARIA Cultural Centre on Saturday 8 August 2026 at 2pm. The production runs approximately 2.5 hours including interval, with tickets priced at $35. Pre-concert dining featuring hearty soup with bread is available at 12:30pm for $17.
Boucicault's 1841 comedy centres on Sir Harcourt Courtly, a ludicrous ageing London dandy lured from the city to the countryside by the promise of marrying Grace Harkaway, a woman several decades his junior. His plans quickly unravel when his stylish shoes meet cow-manure and Grace's charms prove secondary to those of her hearty, fox-hunting cousin Lady Gay Spanker. His hell-raising son Charles compounds matters by falling madly in love with Grace himself.
Opening at Covent Garden in 1841, London Assurance became an instant comedy smash hit and has remained popular ever since. The play represents a remarkable achievement in theatrical history: Boucicault, described as a witty, selfish, deceitful charmer and bigamist, created a work that inspired the Irish satirists who followed, including Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw and John Millington Synge—continuing a tradition of Irish writers dominating English satirical comedy alongside William Congreve, Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Oliver Goldsmith.
Tickets are available through TryBooking. For ticketing or event-related questions, contact Independent Theatre on 0435 469 277.
Details are correct at the time of publishing. Events can change or be cancelled, so please confirm dates, times and prices with the venue or ticket seller before booking.