Acclaimed production about Oscar Wilde coming to New Wolsey this June
Alastair Whatley in ‘The Importance of Being Oscar’. Photo by Marc Brenner.
Original Theatre and Reading Rep Theatre are bringing Micheál Mac Liammóir’s celebrated play ‘The Importance of Being Oscar’ to Ipswich’s New Wolsey Theatre this June, as part of a UK tour.
Oscar Wilde was a dandy of speech, a dandy of manner, a dandy of dress and a dandy, even, of ideas and intellect. He fell in love with eccentric socialites, travelled to America with nothing to declare except his genius, and found worldwide success as a playwright. This is the story of how his life of fame, glamour and romance led him to become an imprisoned outcast.
Directed by Michael Fentiman and starring Original Theatre’s Artistic Director, Alastair Whatley, ‘The Importance of Being Oscar’ immerses audiences in a compelling journey through Oscar’s loves and losses, and successes and struggles. The one-man show is a beautiful tribute to an icon of the world of theatre, liberally laced with Wilde's signature wit and wisdom, and featuring excerpts from many of his best-loved works, including ‘An Ideal Husband’, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ and ‘The Ballad of Reading of Gaol’.
Alastair Whatley in ‘The Importance of Being Oscar’. Photo by Marc Brenner.
The show’s run at Reading Rep Theatre in 2024, and subsequent critically acclaimed, sold out London run in 2025, marked Alastair’s return to the stage. He last performed in 2017 in the New York transfer of Original Theatre’s production of Torben Betts’ ‘Invincible’. Alastair’s other acting credits include ‘Birdsong’, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’, ‘Three Men in a Boat’, ‘See How They Run’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘Vincent in Brixton’, ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ and ‘Henry V’ (RSC).
Director, Michael Fentiman, said: “I am delighted Original Theatre will be taking our production of ‘The Importance of Being Oscar’ on tour. Alastair is such a delight in this piece and it’s wonderful more people are going to get the chance to see him in it. It’s going to be a real pleasure to delve into the shadows of Oscar’s genius and tragic history, once more.”
Set and Costume Design are by Madeleine Girling, Lighting Design is by Chris Davey, and Composition and Sound Design are by Barnaby Race.
Founded in 2004, Original Theatre has toured extensively all over the UK, introducing Original Online in 2020, producing several acclaimed online productions. In 2022, Original Theatre was awarded a Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for exceptional theatre-making during the Covid lockdowns and most recently an Olivier nomination for The Time Machine - A Comedy in 2024.
Reading Rep is a leading regional producing theatre based in Reading, Berkshire. Since its founding in 2012, the company has built a reputation for bold programming, inventive adaptations and boundary-pushing revivals - often in collaboration with some of the UK’s most acclaimed theatres. Its productions have toured nationally and received praise from The Guardian, The Telegraph and Broadway World.
The Importance of Being Oscar is at New Wolsey Theatre on 12 - 13 June 2026.
FOR SHOW DETAILS AND BOOKING LINK, CLICK HERE