The Importance of Being Oscar
By Micheál Mac Liammóir, Directed by Michael Fentiman
“A beautiful production – intimate and utterly compelling” Gyles Brandreth
Micheál Mac Liammóir’s renowned play The Importance of Being Oscar returns to London following a critically acclaimed run in 2025.
Step beyond the footlights into the private world of Oscar Wilde.
Immerse yourself in a compelling journey through the loves,losses, successes and struggles of the iconic man – from eccentric socialite to imprisoned outcast.
A beautiful tribute to an icon of theatre, liberally laced with Wilde’s signature wit and wisdom and featuring excerpts of many of his best-loved works including An Ideal Husband, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Ballad of Reading Gaol. This one man show promises to be a Wilde-ly entertaining night.
Directed by Michael Fentiman (Amelie, Jekyll & Hyde, Lion Witch & Wardrobe) and produced by the Olivier nominated Original Theatre (Being Mr Wickham, The Interview, Birdsong), performed by Alastair Whatley.
Original Theatre & Reading Rep Theatre in association with Park Theatre.
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Evenings
19.30
Thu & Sat15.00
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Duration
110 minutes including an interval
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Genre
Drama
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Age guidance
10+
"Phenomenal… Alastair Whatley is truly magnificent as Wilde"
Theatre and Tonic
"elegant and electrifying"
The Spy in the Stalls
"unmissable magic"
Plays to See
"Powerful"
The Arts Desk
"An absolute delight…"
A Youngish Perspective
"Funny…always entertaining…a gem"
New European
"Whatley captures us completely"
Mark Aspen Reviews
"A seamless, single-handed performance"
Reading Today
"An evening of exquisite entertainment"
Henley Standard
"exemplary"
The Reviews Hub
"Heartbreaking and compelling"
Love London Love Culture
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Alastair Whatley
Oscar Wilde
Alastair Whatley
Oscar Wilde
Alastair is an award-winning director, producer and actor. His work has taken him all over the world from London to New York via Dublin.As an actor he has performed in almost every UK town touring continuously from 2005 to 2017 when he took (what he thought was) his final bow in New York in Torben Betts’ Invincibleto concentrate on directing. Acting credits include leading roles in Birdsong, The Importance of Being Earnest, Three Men in a Boat, See How They Run, Twelfth Night, Vincent in Brixton, Dancing at Lughnasa, Henry V (RSC and South Hill Park)andThe Importance of Being Oscar with which he toured the UK and Ireland in 2010 to2011Since then he has led Original Theatre’s producing work in hundreds of theatres and online, with awards including the prestigious Critics Circle Award for his outstanding contribution to British theatre during lockdown.As well as performing in TheImportance of Being Oscar,this autumn Alastair will directing a major revival of Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong.He is also a keen field hockey player and is Chairman of Southgate Hockey Centre.
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Micheál MacLiammóir
Writer
Micheál MacLiammóir
Writer
Michael trained at Bretton Hall and Mountview Academy.Michael’s production of Amelie was nominated for three Olivier Awards (including best new musical) in 2020 and Michael was Nominated for a Grammy in 2021 for his work on the London Cast Recording.ForOriginal Theatre:Importance of Being OscarTheatre: includes The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Gillian Lynn and Tour);Jekyl and Hyde (Edinburgh Lyceum/Reading Rep);Amélie (Criterion Theatre/Watermill Theatre/UK Tour/The Other Palace);The Windsors:Endgame (Prince of Wales Theatre);CinderElla The Musical (Nuffield Southampton Theatres); Valued Friends (Rose Theatre Kingston); The Taming of the Shrew (Sherman Theatre/Tron Theatre); The Importance of Being Earnest (Vaudeville Theatre/Classic Spring);The Taming of the Shrew (RSC/US tour); Titus Andronicus (RSC) ; Ahasverus (RSC/Hampstead Theatre); The Last Days of Anne Boleyn (Historic Palaces/Tower of London); Loot (Park Theatre/Watermill Theatre); The Interview (Park Theatre); Raising Martha (Park Theatre); Babe, The Sheep-Pig (Polka Theatre/UK Tour); The War Has Not Yet Started (Drum Theatre Plymouth); Minotaur (Polka Theatre/Clwyd TheatrCymru); The Comedy of Errors (Cambridge Arts Theatre)andCrackers (Belgrade Theatre Coventry).
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Michael Fentiman
Director
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Madeleine Girling
Designer
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Chris Davey
LX designer
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Barnaby Race
Sound Designer
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