Oscar Wilde (play)
Encyclopedia
The play Oscar Wilde, written by Leslie
& Sewell Stokes
, is based on the life of the Irish
playwright Oscar Wilde
in which Wilde's friend, the controversial author and journalist Frank Harris
, appears as a character. The play, which contains much of Wilde's actual writings, starts with Wilde's literary success and his friendship with Lord Alfred Douglas
, turns into a courtroom melodrama, and ends with Wilde as a broken alcoholic after 2 years in prison.
Owing to the play's subject matter it was never granted a licence by the Lord Chamberlain
and could, therefore, only be staged in England at a theatre club where membership was required. The play's first production at London
's Gate Theatre Studio
in 1936, starred Robert Morley
as Oscar and was produced by Norman Marshall. Opening on 29 September, the play ran for 6 weeks and proved to be one of the theatre's most successful productions.
Later in New York
in 1938, again with Morley in the title role, the play became a major award-winning success on Broadway
at the Fulton Theatre
where it opened on 10 October and ran for 247 performances. This success launched Robert Morley's career as a stage actor on both sides of the Atlantic.
Coinciding with the Broadway production there was also a four week revival in London at the Arts Theatre
starring Francis L. Sullivan
and produced by Ronald Adam
, which opened on 25 October 1938. The play was revived again at the Bolton's Theatre Club
, starring Frank Pettingell
and directed by Leslie Stokes
, in 1948.
The film Oscar Wilde
, based on the Stokes brothers' play, was released in 1960.
Leslie Stokes
Leslie Stokes was an English playwright and BBC radio producer and director.As a young man Leslie Stokes was an actor and later became a playwright and BBC radio producer and director. Together with his brother, author and playwright Sewell Stokes, he co-wrote a number of plays, including the...
& Sewell Stokes
Sewell Stokes
Francis Martin Sewell Stokes was an English novelist, biographer, playwright, screenwriter, broadcaster and prison visitor. He collaborated on a number of occasions with his brother, Leslie Stokes, an actor and later in life a BBC radio producer, with whom he shared a flat for many years...
, is based on the life of the Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
playwright Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
in which Wilde's friend, the controversial author and journalist Frank Harris
Frank Harris
Frank Harris was a Irish-born, naturalized-American author, editor, journalist and publisher, who was friendly with many well-known figures of his day...
, appears as a character. The play, which contains much of Wilde's actual writings, starts with Wilde's literary success and his friendship with Lord Alfred Douglas
Lord Alfred Douglas
Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas , nicknamed Bosie, was a British author, poet and translator, better known as the intimate friend and lover of the writer Oscar Wilde...
, turns into a courtroom melodrama, and ends with Wilde as a broken alcoholic after 2 years in prison.
Owing to the play's subject matter it was never granted a licence by the Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
and could, therefore, only be staged in England at a theatre club where membership was required. The play's first production at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Gate Theatre Studio
Gate Theatre Studio
The history of London's Gate Theatre Studio, often referred to as simply the Gate Theatre, is typical of many small independent theatres of the period....
in 1936, starred Robert Morley
Robert Morley
Robert Adolph Wilton Morley, CBE was an English actor who, often in supporting roles, was usually cast as a pompous English gentleman representing the Establishment...
as Oscar and was produced by Norman Marshall. Opening on 29 September, the play ran for 6 weeks and proved to be one of the theatre's most successful productions.
Later in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1938, again with Morley in the title role, the play became a major award-winning success on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
at the Fulton Theatre
Fulton Theatre/Helen Hayes Theatre
The Fulton Theatre was a Broadway Theatre located at 210 West 46th Street in New York that was opened in 1911. It was re-named the Helen Hayes Theatre in 1955. The theatre was demolished in 1982...
where it opened on 10 October and ran for 247 performances. This success launched Robert Morley's career as a stage actor on both sides of the Atlantic.
Coinciding with the Broadway production there was also a four week revival in London at the Arts Theatre
Arts Theatre
The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. It now operates as the West End's smallest commercial receiving house.-History:...
starring Francis L. Sullivan
Francis L. Sullivan
Francis Loftus Sullivan was an English film and stage actor. He attended Stonyhurst, the Jesuit public school in Lancashire, England whose alumni include Charles Laughton and Arthur Conan Doyle.A heavily built man with a striking double-chin and a deep voice, Sullivan made his acting debut at the...
and produced by Ronald Adam
Ronald Adam (actor)
Ronald Adam OBE , born Ronald George Hinings Adams, was a British RAF officer, an actor on stage and screen and a successful theatre manager.-Early life:...
, which opened on 25 October 1938. The play was revived again at the Bolton's Theatre Club
Bolton's Theatre Club
Bolton's Theatre Club in Drayton Gardens, South Kensington in London was opened in 1947 in a building originally opened in 1911 as the Bolton's Picture Playhouse...
, starring Frank Pettingell
Frank Pettingell
Frank Pettingell was an English actor.Pettingell was born in Liverpool, and educated at Manchester University...
and directed by Leslie Stokes
Leslie Stokes
Leslie Stokes was an English playwright and BBC radio producer and director.As a young man Leslie Stokes was an actor and later became a playwright and BBC radio producer and director. Together with his brother, author and playwright Sewell Stokes, he co-wrote a number of plays, including the...
, in 1948.
The film Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde (film)
Oscar Wilde is a 1960 biographical film about Oscar Wilde, made by Vantage Films and released by 20th Century Fox.-Production:The film was directed by Gregory Ratoff and produced by William Kirby, from a screenplay by Jo Eisinger, based on the play Oscar Wilde by Leslie Stokes and Sewell Stokes...
, based on the Stokes brothers' play, was released in 1960.