Pictures of Dorian Gray, Lucy Shaw’s groundbreaking adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Gothic parable, will receive its world premiere at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, in May before transferring to London’s Jermyn Street Theatre in June.
It plays there for five weeks before transferring to Blackwell’s Bookshop in
Oxford where it will run for three weeks in association with Creation Theatre.
In Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, sophisticated, amoral aristocrat Henry Wotton seduces the beautiful Dorian Gray into a life of sin and hedonism in fin-de-siècle London. Dorian sells his soul for eternal youth andbeauty – and only his portrait seems to age. But will Dorian’s pact have a price?
Mixing roles and gender, the production will see the actors switch parts for each performance, giving four different casting possibilities over the course of the run.
The production, which retains all the glittering wit of Wilde’s writing, explores perceptions and preconceptions of gender, the balance of power between artist and art, attitudes to ‘self’ and the relationship between manufactured image and reality.
The ensemble cast comprises Richard Keightley (Of Mice and Men, national tour;Twelfth Night, National Theatre), Helen Reuben (who recently made her debut as Sally Bowles inCabaret, English Theatre Frankfurt/Deutsches Theater Munich), Augustina Seymour (Twelfth Night, Chichester Festival Theatre,The Crucible, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and tour) and Stanton Wright (The Winter’s Tale, National Theatre,All or Nothing, West End).
Director Tom Littler says: “We’re delighted to partner for the first time with the Stephen Joseph Theatre and with Creation Theatre. Lucy Shaw’sPictures of Dorian Gray is one of the most brilliant and original adaptations of a novel I’ve ever read. It’s a dazzling exploration of gender, narcissism, of art and how we make it.”
Pictures of Dorian Gray is directed by Tom Littler, with set and lighting design by William Reynolds, costumes design by Emily Stuart, sound design by Matt Eaton and movement by Julia Cave.
ADAPTATION OF OSCAR WILDE MASTERPIECE
Pictures of Dorian Gray can be seen in the McCarthy at the SJT; the performance schedule is (all dates May):
A: Male Dorian with male Wotton
Thursday 23, Friday 24 at 7.45pm; Sat 25 at 2.45pm and 7.45pm.
B: Male Dorian with female Wotton
Tuesday 28 at 7.45pm
C: Female Dorian with male Wotton
Wednesday 29 at 7.45pm, Thursday 30 at 1.45pm
D: Female Dorian with female Wotton
Thursday 30 and Friday 31 at 7.45pm.
Tickets are priced from £10, and can be booked at the box office on 01723 370541 or via the website:www.sjt.uk.com
