It can’t be said that The Skullduggery Theatre Company don’t push their boundaries. Last year they hit the Fringe with the superb I Am Star Trek - a cutting biography of Gene Roddenberry with did as much to expose his less salubrious qualities as to entertain Trekkies - and they’ve returned this year with a similar show celebrating the 20th Century’s first gay icon, Oscar Wilde.
I Am Oscar Wilde is produced in much the same way as their previous outing and paints the exuberant Wilde as the Scarlet Pimpernel of London’s social scene early in the 20th Century. Taking us between the extremes of this floodlit life is a very capable body of actors, led by the sublime title role performance of Jonathan Hansler, accurately playing Wilde as a true performer and actor in his own right.
The story begins with a social gathering at chez Wilde, where the suave and effete young man falls prey to a concerning forecast from a fortune teller. We are led through the changes in his life, from the cutting edge topic of high brow gossip through his meeting with Bosie, the object of his affection and cause of his downfall, his depressing and mentally disabling prison term and his returning inspiration upon release from jail. Throughout it all, we are treated to a fascinating insight into Wilde’s genius as he directs his writing through his friends and acquaintances, creating his plays as his world revolves around him.
The show is excellently produced and performed, and should appeal to both fans of Wilde and the uninitiated alike.
4/5
Simon Ferguson
