Political scandal, satire and gender politics, Wilde’s An Ideal Husband is perhaps his most venomous work, examining the dark side of husbands and wives but with the wit expected and an admirably astute comment on Victorian society. However, the characters and swindles he demonstrates have not aged, the timeless comedy of Wilde will always have a place on our stages as long as people are people.
The action takes place across three days beginning with a dinner party at the Chilterns’. When an old school rival of Lady Chiltern arrives, Mrs Cheveley (Kate O’Mara) the light-hearted atmosphere turns bitter. Cheveley blackmails Sir Robert Chiltern (Paul Aves) with demons from his past, into publicly promoting a corrupt scheme. Eventually Lady Chiltern is told everything from the vicious Cheveley and only the socialite Lord Goring (Robert Duncan) can come to the rescue.
Trapped in her jewelled prison, Cheveley is a reminder to us all of the danger of material desires and temptations.
Like any Wilde production no expense should be spared and Peter Hall’s production doesn’t miss a step. With pristine sets and immaculate costumes from designer Carl Toms the actors and stage do justice to the fashionable Wilde and his epigrammatic dialogue. Understudy Aves doesn’t disappoint and the tête-à-tête between himself and O’Mara, with her scathing, seductive fan waves and his polite innocence is seamless. However the pivotal role of Goring was the strongest performance, Duncan found the difficult balance between humour and seriousness and allowed the plot to uncurl around him. This production whilst traditional in its direction is cased in modernity. In Goring’s home where the truthful side of the characters emerge, a mirror placed upstage centre reflects not only themselves but the audience as well, the actors don’t acknowledge this and the stage picture achieved is one that reminds us of the deeper meaning behind this text: the ideal. The ideal Wilde speaks of is in the mind but now our ideal is the body and trapped in her jewelled prison, Cheveley is a reminder to us all of the danger of material desires and temptations.
King’s Theatre, Edinburgh, until Sat 15 Nov, then touring,