By amateur dramatics editor Martin Brisland.
An all male group of five actors perform some of the ‘greatest hits’ of Oscar Wilde without scenery, costume, make up, lighting, sound effects or props other than a couple of chairs. Sounds like a tall order? Well not for the excellent BBV theatre company. Dressed simply in black T shirt and trousers the cast had to rely on their considerable acting talent to portray the characters.
All some people will know about Oscar Wilde (1854 -1900) is the iconic scene from his 1895 play The Importance of Being Earnest where Lady Bracknell theatrically declares “a handbag” on discovering where a prospective son in law was found as a baby at a railway station. Wilde’s plays are full of wit and she goes on to say “To lose on parent, Mr. Worthing may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness”. This is the very first excerpt in the show and sets the scene for an evening of exquisite acting and wordplay.
Director William Baggs formed BBV in 1991 and his love of Wilde began with a production of An Ideal Husband and later The Importance Of Being Earnest. William also performs in some of the pieces.
They show off his and the considerable skills of Neil Maddock, Simon White, David Jobson and Simon Mewett. The 5 actors take on some of Wilde’s most iconic roles, male or female. These include excerpts from his most popular stage works such as The Importance Of Being Earnest, Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Woman Of No Importance and An Ideal Husband.
Without the shield of costume or props each actor had the ability to channel their character such as Gwendoline, Lady Bracknell or Lord Goring. The actors had clear diction and effective mannerisms to become the characters portrayed. Each brought depth and understanding to their respective scenes.
In between each scene there were short linking pieces giving interesting information about Oscar Wilde and the times he lived in. Sent to Reading jail for two years in 1895 at a time when homosexual acts were illegal, Wilde was given a posthumous pardon in 2017 under ‘Turing’s Law’.
If you are an existing lover of Wilde’s works then this show is a must see for you. If you are new to them then this serves as an excellent introduction to this ever popular playwright.
Previously BBV Productions have gone on tour with plays such as Charley’s Aunt and A Christmas Carol to venues in Southampton, Hayling Island, Bournemouth, Romsey, Barnes and Winchester. They aim to tour this show after their run at The Maskers Theatre, Unit 1 , Emsworth Road, Shirley until Friday 3rd November. Tickets for this performance via maskers.org.uk
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