De Profundis
Wed, 23 Feb 2011, 07:55 amGordon the Optom1 post in thread
De Profundis
Wed, 23 Feb 2011, 07:55 amThis presentation is at The Blue Room Studio, 53 James Street, Northbridge until Friday the 25th February. The hour-long one-man play starts at 7.00 pm.
The dim, chilly lighting reveals the renowned and scandalous Victorian writer, Oscar Wilde, devoid of his famous ostentatious clothes, now in drab prison attire. He is nearing the end of his two-year sentence for sodomy and gross indecency. He lies there cold and aching.
On his hard boards he recalls how he left his wife and children for his young male love, Boasie. Oscar goes on to tell us of the good times, his love affair and then his ultimate betrayal by his young lover.
Warren Herbu, who a couple of years ago, raised the bar with Edgar Allan Poe’s brilliant ‘Tell Tale Heart’, went on to win a UK Best Actor award for his solo performance. He now returns with the fresh and inventive account of Oscar Wilde.
The audience were mesmerised by Herbu’s face, and his purring intonations. Employing mime and lip-synching to several songs, such as Florence and the Machine’s tremendously erotic sounding ‘Drumming Song’, he continued with poetic verse and beautifully structured prose. Herbu truly captured the audience with his cheeky approach. There were tender moments blended with hilarity, a full gamut of emotions.
The ‘De Profundis’ refers fleetingly to Psalm 130's prayer, which is recited as part of the liturgy for the sick and the faithful departed. It is a 50, 000 word ‘symphony of sorrow’ a dazzling, fresh and impressive revelation of one man’s harrowing attempt to survive. Wilde wrote this for his beloved Boasie (Lord Douglas) but was unable to send it to him from prison.
In this production Wilde delivers his writings as though he was once again treading the boards and addressing an audience. He even goes into the audience to continue his intimate story, breaking down any barrier or prejudice that might exist to this pathetic prisoner.
The simple but very effective design by Emmy Lou worked well with the dramatic lighting by Brodie Maguire.
The show lasted for an hour and it flew by. Brilliant performance and writing. An outstanding performance.
This presentation is at The Blue Room Studio, 53 James Street, Northbridge until Friday the 25th February. The hour-long one-man play starts at 7.00 pm.
The dim, chilly lighting reveals the renowned and scandalous Victorian writer, Oscar Wilde, devoid of his famous ostentatious clothes, now in drab prison attire. He is nearing the end of his two-year sentence for sodomy and gross indecency. He lies there cold and aching.
On his hard boards he recalls how he left his wife and children for his young male love, Boasie. Oscar goes on to tell us of the good times, his love affair and then his ultimate betrayal by his young lover.
Warren Herbu, who a couple of years ago, raised the bar with Edgar Allan Poe’s brilliant ‘Tell Tale Heart’, went on to win a UK Best Actor award for his solo performance. He now returns with the fresh and inventive account of Oscar Wilde.
The audience were mesmerised by Herbu’s face, and his purring intonations. Employing mime and lip-synching to several songs, such as Florence and the Machine’s tremendously erotic sounding ‘Drumming Song’, he continued with poetic verse and beautifully structured prose. Herbu truly captured the audience with his cheeky approach. There were tender moments blended with hilarity, a full gamut of emotions.
The ‘De Profundis’ refers fleetingly to Psalm 130's prayer, which is recited as part of the liturgy for the sick and the faithful departed. It is a 50, 000 word ‘symphony of sorrow’ a dazzling, fresh and impressive revelation of one man’s harrowing attempt to survive. Wilde wrote this for his beloved Boasie (Lord Douglas) but was unable to send it to him from prison.
In this production Wilde delivers his writings as though he was once again treading the boards and addressing an audience. He even goes into the audience to continue his intimate story, breaking down any barrier or prejudice that might exist to this pathetic prisoner.
The simple but very effective design by Emmy Lou worked well with the dramatic lighting by Brodie Maguire.
The show lasted for an hour and it flew by. Brilliant performance and writing. An outstanding performance.