The Trials of Oscar Wilde
Trafalgar Studios 2, London
★★★ (out of 5)
FOLLOWING A 43-date British tour and sell out run at St James’ Theatre, The Trials of Oscar Wilde is getting a limited West End run (until November 8) at Trafalgar Studios 2, coinciding with Wilde’s 160th birthday.
Co-written by Wilde’s only grandchild Merlin Holland, and producer and writer John O‘Connor, the play is based on the libel and criminal trails of Wilde in 1895 with much of the dialogue based on the real transcripts.
And that’s where the problem lies — while it must have been a big deal when the documents were discovered (100 years later), 19th century legal papers do not make for interesting reading, even in a case that caused as much scandal as this; even with a great cast; even with Oscar Wilde.
Wilde’s trouble began when his love affair with a younger man, Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas, became public knowledge. We see Bosie’s father, the Marquess of Queensbury leave a card at the Albermarle Club accusing Wilde of sodomy — Wilde decides to sue for libel, and in doing so seals his own depressing fate.
The first act centres around the libel trial, the second around the criminal trial, but there is so much repetition in the cross-examination of Wilde, and in his defence (although witty at times) that it all gets a bit boring.
It’s not all dull courtroom drama though, there are short scenes based on eyewitness events and Wilde’s letters and writings but not nearly enough.
What the play does offer are glimpses of the real Oscar, along with a reminder of how horrifying it must be to be persecuted for your sexuality (bad enough in 1895, more frightening still when you think it still happens in 2014) but Oscar’s brilliant one-liners and put-downs are few and far between.
Instead of his beautifully crafted verse, most of the dialogue is deathly boring legal argument.
The three stars awarded here are earned entirely by the three excellent actors.
John Gorick is a convincing Oscar, quick witted, hilarious but also vulnerable and scared of losing his case, as Wilde must have been.
Rupert Mason is brilliant in each of his many roles. He plays The Marquess of Queenberry, Edward Carson, Alfred Wood, Charles Gill and a female witness Jane Cotter (one of the few comic moments) while William Kempsell plays no less than eight parts (very well) himself.
The problem is not the skill of the cast, but the source material which is turgid and repetitive — two things that Wilde never was.
The Trials of Oscar Wilde, Trafalgar Studios 2, until Saturday, November 8. Evening performances 7.45pm, matinees 3pm. Tickets from £15
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