The Lyric Hammersmith’s latest production of ‘An Ideal Husband’ offers a reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s Victorian domestic drama. The show primarily focuses on Robert Chiltern, whose unassailable reputation is under threat from a past secret weaponised in the present by American socialite Mrs Cheveley. Wilde’s works, like Shakespeare’s, are often revisited because the themes that are discussed are deemed universal – in this instance, Wilde serves up a hefty dose of power, corruption and betrayal. Although Nicholai La Barrie directs a version that showcases some brilliant black talent with a bold new aesthetic, I could not help but feel that the promised twist never quite sprung.
What is undeniable, is that there is real talent on stage. Comedic timing across the board is sharp, and the cast do a brilliant job of finding the comedy and sarcasm in Wilde’s work. As well as Wilde’s words, the cast dig deeper to convey comedy through physicality, particularly Jamael Westman’s Lord Goring and Tiwa Lade’s Mabel Chiltern – both delivering their performances with a touch of camp and flair, almost reflective of today’s Gen Z. Tamara Lawrance also puts in a controlled, commanding turn as Lady Chiltern.
The overall aesthetic of the piece, particularly the costumes, also provide a freshness to Wilde’s work. Rajha Shakiry’s rails boast a wealth of colours, headwraps and bold prints, in reference to Black British culture. It is moments that explicitly reference Black British that provide some joy throughout the play, particularly the blasts of Afro Beats and Garage music. However, these moments are few and far between, at times leading to a bit of a disconnect between Wilde’s Victorian social mores and 21st century modernisms.
And although seeing a black cast star in a show typically focussing on the white middle class is refreshing – I am still unsure as to why this decision was made, as it is not explicitly referenced in the script. Does this adaptation tell me about what it is like to be a Black Briton today? Not particularly. It does feel like a missed opportunity. The plot of this adaptation also follows the original work pretty closely, so I am unsure what the aforementioned twist is, or was. For this reason the show does feel like it lacks some punch, and does not quite know who its audience is. It will satisfy the purists, the text and plot are broadly the same, but for those looking for that bold reimagining it might not be enough to cause a stir.
3/5
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Photography by Helen Murray
‘An Ideal Husband’ is playing at the Lyric Hammersmith until June 6th!
Tickets here: https://lyric.co.uk/shows/an-ideal-husband/
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