The Importance of Being Oscar, Reading Rep Theatre
Written by Eleanor for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
Oscar Wilde, after whom this play is named, is arguably one of the best poets, novelists, and playwrights of the Victoria era. The Picture of Dorian Grey and The Importance of Being Earnest are both widely recognised titles within a much larger body of his works. He was a complex individual and known for his quick wit and appearances among London’s social circles. But Oscar’s personal and literary life was impacted greatly by his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas; after a public accusation from Douglas’ father, Wilde was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ and served two years of hard labour in Reading prison. His work was greatly affected by this ordeal.
The Importance of Being Oscar is a one-man play exploring the entirety of Oscar Wilde’s life. The audience are given insight into his fame and notoriety, through his works and private letters, before his life ultimately ends in tragedy. The piece was originally written and performed by Micheál Mac Liammóir in 1960 and is now being performed at Reading Rep theatre, a stones throw away from the prison in which Wilde was incarcerated. It is currently being performed by Alastair Whatley, who first acted the piece 15 years ago and is now revisiting the work. It is being directed by Michael Fentiman and co-produced with the Original Theatre company.
The play begins with an introduction to Oscar Wilde, giving us some context to his life and describes his early relationships – from the sexual sphinx to his affectionate wife Constance. We are also given an introduction and overview of Wilde’s most notable works, such as The Picture of Dorian Grey. As someone who is not wholly familiar with these texts, the way they were described was so concise and interesting it made me want to read them in full! A scene taken from The Importance of Being Earnest, between Ernest and his intended mother-in-law, was rather funny and seemed to capture the essence of these characters. The second act of the play focuses more on Wilde’s incarceration and tells of his time in Reading jail and how he tried to pick up the pieces once he was released. As opposed to the quicker exchanges, the scenes here are more drawn out as we mostly just hear from Oscar and the narrator. But this allows for full renditions of his most notable writings from this time: De Profundis and The Ballad of Reading Gaol. The way these two acts were structured created an interesting dichotomy, similar to Oscar’s own personality in some ways. Micheál Mac Liammóir’s script quickly draws you in with the fun stories and entertaining quips to then leave you sitting with nothing but an extending monologue. It is very cleverly done and quite effective.
The entirety of The Importance of Being Oscar is delivered by Alastair Whatley. Listed only as ‘actor’, he acts as a narrator but also embodies each character. Having not seen the show before, this caught me off guard as I presumed the whole show would have been told by Oscar Wilde. And at times I did think it would have been beneficial to hear from Oscar himself, as he is such a rich and colourful character. But I still loved every instance where we heard from the man directly. One of my favourite lines was towards the end of his life, when staying in a room with wallpaper he did not approve of, Wilde states that “one of us will have to go!” Alastair Whatley’s portrayal of each character was brilliantly acted. It is always an impressive feat to undertake a whole show just as the one person, particularly with such limited set design, props and music. There really was nothing to hide behind. What was most impressive was Alastair’s ability to switch between each character in such a subtle and nuanced way. I was never unsure of who he was portraying. And his reading of De Profundis was particularly moving, with tears being shed on stage.
As mentioned above, the set design (designed by Madeleine Girling) was minimal. A single ring of light surrounded a small circular stage, lit with a similarly shaped circle hanging above. In the first act, an ornate Victorian lamp symbolized Wilde's lavish lifestyle which was then replaced by a simple wooden stool in the second act once he was incarcerated. The actor wore one costume (also designed by Girling), removing the jacket in the second half to highlight being in prison. The simplicity of the design was undoubtedly striking and not what I expected. The music (by Barnaby Race) was equally limited but impactful. I particularly enjoyed how Whatley often initiated the music with a movement or hand gesture, showing his total control over the story. A major highlight which brought all these elements together, and made all the more dramatic by Chris Davey’s lighting, was the rendition of The Ballad of Reading Gaol. This was delivered outside of the ring lighting with additional diagonal spotlights and no sound at all. It brilliantly reflected the harshness of the text. But it is worth noting that during this scene there are two flashes of light towards the audience which was very bright.
The Importance of Being Oscar brilliantly summarised the life of a complex individual. I went in not knowing much about Oscar Wilde, other than his most famous book, and came away intrigued to find out more. Alastair Whatley conveyed a range of personalities very well and I felt for the character’s plight. With minimalistic set and dramatic lighting, the production seemed to keep the audience captivated. My only criticism is that the length of the texts being spoken in the second half do slow down the pacing and may affect the experience overall for those who are not already fond of Oscar Wilde’s work.
The Importance of Being Oscar is playing at Reading Rep Theatre from the 23rd May 2024 – 8th June 2024.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
