Set in 1895, this courtroom drama uses historic letters, newspaper reports, trial transcripts and Oscar Wilde's own writings to chronicle the fall of the famous playwright from the bright lights of the London theater to conviction and imprisonment for sexual acts of "gross indecency" with young men. Wilde, played with great passion by Stephen Wangner, is quite flip about his lifestyle early on, while at the same time denying the acts with which he's been charged. He himself sets the process in motion by bringing a libel suit against the Marquess of Queensbury (Martin Edmond), the father of Lord Alfred Douglas (Jon French), who is one of Wilde's young lovers.
Edmond's Queensbury is filled with hate, while French's Alfred shows tenderness and torment. A great depth of feeling is revealed through Wilde's relationship with Alfred, in contrast to later testimonies by various young men in long-johns about Wilde's flings with them. Four narrators downstage from the main courtroom set give the newspaper accounts of the trials and also move the story along with other information. One of these men (Seth Vaughn) does a funny, Monty Python-like impersonation of Queen Victoria making her pronouncement on the illegality of male-male sex acts. Such humor stands in contrast to the downward spiral of Wilde. He is done in by his foolish belief that as a famous artist he can fly in the face of English society. His ultimate anguish and despair are painful to watch.
Vito Pipitone and John Anderson are strong as the prosecuting and defense attorneys, respectively. Many cast members play multiple parts, keeping up the pace of the play. But sometimes it seems to get a bit too frantic, as with Rob Rosin, who plays a judge, George Bernard Shaw and aWilde scholar, in addition to his role as one of the four narrators.
Overall, the play is a thought- provoking exploration of Wilde the man and the artist, as well as the societal issues of adult privacy and sexual conduct.
