by Oscar WildePresented by The Alchemic Order★★★ Pros: The combination of promenade theatre and “Dorian Gray’s private home” gives this piece something quite special. Cons: Conversations felt slow, the pauses between lines sometimes dragged. However this might have been because of last-minute-casting. Our Verdict: A different evening that will transport into the debauched upper echelons of Victorian society, albeit it is a little rough around the edges. Courtesy of Sebastian Lister and The Alchemic Order What do you do when ...

Rob JohnstonDirected by Andy McQuade★★★★ Pros: A truly original, deliciously dark and modern reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s gothic novel, with top-notch performances to boot. Cons: Dark lighting and less than ideal sightlines made it sometimes difficult to get the most out of the action, and audiences completely unfamiliar with the source material may feel a bit confused. Our Verdict: It’s a thrilling and chilling gothic piece brought to life by a diverse and talented cast – not one to miss! ...

Katherine Rodden Directed by Cat Robey ★★★ Pros: A great script, full of big laughs and wonderful slapstick. Cons: The play starts wonderfully but it spirals into a mildly annoying farce. Our Verdict: The script is hilarious and the cast are very talented but the performances need toning down towards the end. It’s meant to be a comedy but it all got a bit too silly in the last scene. Courtesy of Paradigm Theatre I was very excited to review ...

Oscar WildeDirected by Anastasia Revi★★★ Pros: The Old Cholmeley Boys’ Club – a dilapidated church like building on the outside, and a lavish looking dining hall on the inside – is perfectly suited to the luxurious circumstances and persistent ominous-ness of the piece. The costumes by Valentina Sanna are exquisite. Cons: While the script itself definitely calls for heightened emotion, I found this to be over dramatised in many instances – a greater variety in delivery would have been welcome. ...

Sarah PitardDirected by Cat Robey★★★★ Pros: A dedicated adaptation of Wilde’s fairy tales for children. A perfectly sized production for the space in question. Cons: A slightly (only slightly) dragged out second half. Also, some interactions seemed a tiny bit deliberate and unrealistic. Our Verdict: A well thought-out and penetrating adaptation of two of Wilde’s best loved shorts. A nice venue as well, with a relaxed crowd and very professional front-of-house staff. A real rose among the thorns in terms ...

Neil BartlettDirected by Caroline Devlin★★★ Pros: An interesting script from a great playwright with two very charming lead performances. Cons: Some hard-core Wilde fans may have a few issues with the casting. Our Verdict: Although this is a clever, insightful script delivered beautifully by two talented actors, I didn’t feel like I was looking at Oscar Wilde. The play is still very enjoyable, however, and well worth the ticket price. Courtesy of Kean Productions On 24th March 1895, a week ...

everything theatre originally reviewed this production in the Hampstead Theatre. It will transfer to the Duke of York’s Theatre from 9th January 2013, where it is currently booking until 6th April 2013: http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-judas-kiss/duke-of-yorks/David HareDirected by Neil Armfield★★★ Pros: Good leads, an important message and beautiful lighting. Cons: The script leaves much to be desired, despite the aforementioned important messaging. Our Verdict: Not the best script, but good performances pull up what could otherwise be a poor show. Courtesy of Alastair Muir ...

Oscar WildeDirected by Henry Filloux-Bennett★★★ Pros: A fun and novel staging of an excellent play. Cons: Some of the comedy in this fringe production’s transfer is lost in the bigger space. Our Verdict: A good production worth seeing, although it drags a little in places. Courtesy of London Theatreland The Importance of Being Earnest, subtitled ‘A Trivial Play For Serious People’ is almost certainly Oscar Wilde’s most famous play. Its opening night was the climax of his career, but also the ...