Oscar Wilde's comedy, first billed as a 'play of modern life' in 1895, gets a gleefully camp makeover at the Lyric Hammersmith. The production, directed by Nicholai La Barrie, features an all-Black cast and a Caribbean twist, echoing the National Theatre's campy take on The Importance of Being Earnest.
The plot follows Sir Robert Chiltern (Chiké Okonkwo), an upstanding minister and 'ideal husband' to Lady Chiltern (Tamara Lawrance), whose past involves selling a cabinet secret. Blackmailer Mrs Cheveley (Aurora Perrineau) threatens to ruin him unless he complies. The political scandal, with shades of 'cash for questions', feels less biting, but Chiltern's earnestness wins sympathy.
The first half struggles with pace and tone, but the second half bursts into life with full-blown farce. Viscount Arthur Goring (Jamael Westman) is arch and dandified, while Emmanuel Akwafo's flouncy butler and Jeff Alexander's grumpy father are highlights. Modern touches include references to Beyoncé and Barack Obama, and a soundtrack with DJ Luck & MC Neat, Ms Dynamite, and Ezra Collective.
Costumes by Rajha Shakiry blend period and modern styles, and the campness underscores the ludicrousness of the aristocratic gang. Perrineau's wooden performance as Mrs Cheveley is a letdown, but Tiwa Lade shines as Mabel Chiltern. The production celebrates queerness, offering a flamboyant payback for Wilde's own persecution.
