It’s camp. It’s queer. It’s naughty. This “Three time Edinburgh Fringe sell out” show did not disappoint with its Fawlty Towers’ level of chaos. The wild and outrageous interpretation of Mr Wilde’s show is brought to you by writer Steven Dawson, Christopher White and Scott Middleton of Melbourne’s own Out Cast Theatre. This powerful and hilarious performance shows the utmost commitment to the characters by the cast.
This fast-paced show’s story is filled with flirty, witty and risqué lines performed by three thespians: Sebastian, Winston and Christian, and an adoring wooden duck (Winston’s obsession). The love triangle in between actors is interwoven with the struggles of rehearsals and creating chaos. The flirty nature of the twink Christian creates drama and jealousy and the rivalry between Sebastian and Winston only adds to the farce. The multiple roles played by the trio is so understandably hysterical. You will be left wanting more when the hour has passed. This is not for the faint-hearted or politically correct and of course, sex is mentioned openly.
The unsuspecting audience are met by the raunchy backdrop in the centre of the stage upon entry which is an artful touch. The famous scenes peppered throughout which satisfy Mr Wilde’s devotees but tried in various ways to make it “edgy”. The “Kabuki”-esque version with the ghostly red lighting is beyond imagination. While Winston could perhaps have been more articulate and some of the jokes were unclear. This show could have been enjoyed even better otherwise.
Nevertheless, this show was still very entertaining. This very unique take of the classic Mr Wilde’s play must not be missed during this Melbourne Fringe Festival.
