The Divine Oscar at Masque Theatre

A one man show paying tribute to Oscar Wilde, THE DIVINE OSCAR first opened in Cape Town in March 2009. Peter Gilchrist's piece of solo theatre aims to explore the humour and the tragedy that was the life of this flawed genius, not only in his works but in his life and his loves.

How many of us realise that he was head over heels in love with the notorious Lily Langtry, sleeping on her doorstep night after night in the snow? He was very happily married, with two children before he fell hopelessly for Bosie, Lord Alfred Douglas. He had been gay since his teenage year, but at that stage in his life became infamous and spent two years in Reading Gaol for his homosexuality – behaviour far from unusual in other quarters. In earlier years, he sailed through Dublin, London and New York and was a major social player, hugely in demand for his charm and wit. He was a writer of genius with an intense eye for social frailties, especially among the upper classes.

Gilchrist’s show introduces audiences to Wilde the man and to some the funniest and best of Wilde’s plays. He plays seven different characters, bringing to life scenes from THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST and AN IDEAL HUSBAND. Many remember the lovely moment when Earnest admits he was born in a handbag, but The showstopper is Gilchrist’s introduction to Lady Bracknell in all her majestic glory! Lord Goring and his manservant, Phipps share some hilarious dialogue, and there is the lovely moment between Wilde and his very Irish prison warder, Tom Martin.