Oscar at the Crown in London. Photo by Luke Dyson.Whilst sadly lacking in a clear or coherent narrative, this non-stop, immersive joy-ride is guaranteed to lift your spirits and get you in the mood to party. The venue is fully decked out simultaneously as a futuristic bunker protecting you from a dystopian ‘outside world’ somewhere in the not too distant future, and a 90s/early 2000s nightclub. It is designed to make you want to stay for a long time, complete with its own bar (open before the performance starts and remaining open way after the play ends) and loud, thumping pop-music into the night. In the space, you are not just encouraged to join in; it’s a given.
As you descend the graffiti-adorned stairway that leads to the event space itself, lined with a host of CCTV cameras and various cut-outs from contemporary pop culture, you find yourself faced with a set of vintage TVs screening old clips from Real Housewives (this will make sense later) and live footage of the audience. Gradually, our cast enters - decked out in neon and chrome, bold make-up and elaborate hairstyles - and commence their dancing and mingling with the audience. The stylings here are very much reminiscent of what we’ve come to expect in theatrical stage interpretations as ‘the dystopian future’, think We Will Rock You or Starlight Express.
Now you may be wondering how a play, which claims to set out the life-story of the Victorian writer & poet Oscar Wilde, could possibly also interject a storyline about the dystopian future and the ‘Real Housewives’ reality TV series. Sadly, even if you do see this production, this question may not be answered for you.
The storyline vaguely goes as follows (major assumptions here, as - if you cannot already tell - a lot is going on in those 90 minutes of performance): the world has been irreparably destroyed by social media, AI and the ‘digital age’ has proved catastrophically destructive. This has led to the downfall of humanity and the ostracism of those who do not conform to the regimented ideals of societal complacency. These rejects, cast out by the world, have found solace in one another, grouping together in this bunker/nightclub. They entertain themselves, it seems, by acting out a play about the life of Oscar Wilde 6 times a week.
The rebels have found within themselves a sense of camaraderie, idolising the series Real Housewives, which is largely considered the birth of reality TV and, in this instance, the start of mankind’s downfall. They go so far as to name themselves after characters from these series. Throughout, I found myself learning an awful lot about this TV series, as well as The OC (which was the first ever reality series with fictionalised elements). Their deity, it seems, is the character of ‘Julie’ from The OC who, in 2006, prophesied the destruction of society when predicting the rise of the internet age. She claimed that celebrity culture would reign supreme, privacy would be non-existent, no one would be able to distinguish the real from the fake and that it became everyone’s ambition to be a celebrity. This makes all the TV screens suddenly make sense, as well as the CCTV cameras, perhaps a comment on our constant visibility and lack of real privacy in our current digital culture.
You would think that, as most of this play is made up of niche pop-culture references, you need to be in in-the-know to find it at all entertaining, but this is thankfully far from the truth. There is much fun for anyone to be had here.
Oscar at the Crown in London. Photo by Luke Dyson.
We also, of course, get to witness the run-through of Oscar Wilde’s life story. This is a great chance to learn about something that feels a little more high-brow. The real quotes from Oscar’s writings and his close companions are genuinely very welcome. Also appreciated is the play’s willingness to discuss the darker side of Wilde’s identity. As with most historical figures, he has his good points and his bad. This added nuance means the play is far from just a blind veneration of Wilde but a thorough exploration of him as a flawed, very real man. So what exactly does Oscar Wilde have to do with the Real Housewives? Well, Wilde is credited with the invention of modern celebrity. Throughout his life, he was constantly ‘on show’, at times intentionally, at others, not so. The very lines between his reality and falsehoods seem, like those of the Real Housewives and The OC, totally spurious.
Although I do stress here the apparent absence of an at all feasible plot-line, by no means does this show fall short of ambition, entertainment and style. You could say, this loud and proud performance is as bold and unapologetic as Wilde himself, and, of course, the many iconic reality TV stars mentioned.
The entire cast exudes a sense of impalpable joy, blasting out their song and dance routines with such a sense of vitality and vigour which enlivens the space and effortlessly enthuses the entire audience. On their feet throughout, they weave themselves in and out of the audience. I think it’s safe to say that every single cast member exudes a sense of wanting to have the most fun possible, and this energy is contagious. A shout-out to Mark Mauriello who well and truly shines as Oscar, imbuing the character with totally scandalous, over the top and most importantly believable enthusiasm and chaos. Mauriello steals the show, capturing the essence of this renowned historical figure who self-proclaimed to live for debauchery and temptation. Whilst I suspect much of the audience left not entirely sure of the plot, I think it’s safe to say no one left in a bad mood. So, if you’re looking for a raucous, brash and unapologetically enjoyable night out - Oscar At The Crown is the play for you.
Oscar at the Crown is currently booking until 31 August 2025.
