Winner of The New Musical Project at the Leicester Square Theatre 2014, this is a musical adaptation by Paul Dale Vickers of Oscar Wilde’s letters written to his lover Lord Alfred Douglas while Wilde was in jail. The letters mainly contains complaint about his ordeal and the conflicting emotion he has on Douglas since he was both his lover and the reason of his imprisonment.
A major problem with the show is the singularity of its subject matter which can be tiresome even at a running time at under sixty minutes. Though the text itself is no doubt lyrical and well written. The simply accompanied music compliments rather than overpower the text. The wooden decking as the stage along with a wooden bench lit by lights through criss-cross gratings simulates prison bars. Alastair Brookshaw’s gentle but precise voice suits the material and music well, but cannot look any more different to Wilde himself. It is an interesting and well executed project but not necessary the most entertaining.
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