A legendary play about Irish playwright, Oscar Wilde – visiting theatres as part of a limited UK tour – will be at Theatre Royal Winchester on Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 June.
The Importance of Being Oscar tells the story of the iconic writer and his rise and fall. It paints a raw and defiant picture of Wilde (1854 – 1900) – a man who lived and loved without compromise while creating some of the most famous and funny plays still loved by millions today. Oscar Wilde was best known for his works, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband, as well as his criminal conviction for gross indecency, having had homosexual relationships – an offence at the time.
Wilde’s story is brought to life in The Importance of Being Oscar, through his own words and those of his fiercest champion, the fabled Irish writer, Micheál Mac Liammóir – whose one man show about the playwright was first produced in 1960 and helped redefine society’s attitudes and appreciation of a man whose life became his work of art.
‘Intimate and compelling’ (Gyles Brandreth), ‘elegant and electrifying’ (The Spy in the Stalls), the show stars Alastair Whatley – described as ‘phenomenal to watch’ (Theatre and Tonic). Whatley has performed in plays such as Twelfth Night, Dancing at Lughnasa and Henry V, working with the likes of the Royal Shakespeare Company and South Hill Park Arts Centre.
The show is directed by Michael Fentiman who has worked on productions for theatres including Birmingham Rep, Edinburgh Lyceum, and across London’s West End, and whose credits include The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and the Olivier-nominated Amelie.
The show is produced by the Olivier nominated Original Theatre, set up in 2004 to tour theatre throughout the UK and US including productions of Being Mr Wickham, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Birdsong, The Taming of the Shrew, Othello and many more -while also a leading digital theatre producer producing shows for streaming online; and awarded a Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for their theatre-making during the pandemic.
This production of The Importance of Being Oscar was first performed at Reading Rep Theatre in May and June 2024. It now returns for a limited UK tour ahead of a London run.
The Importance of Being Oscar will be at Theatre Royal Winchester from Tuesday 23 – Wednesday 24 June. Recommended age 12+.For more information, or to book tickets, visit: theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840 440.
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