10 – 20 June
Premiered in 1895, of all his comedies An Ideal Husband is possibly the one that was closest to Oscar Wilde’s heart. Beneath the sparkling wit and stiletto-sharp social satire there runs a more serious theme about the need to accept our own imperfections and, more importantly, to forgive the frailties we find in others.
Directed by Nicholai La Barrie, this joint production from the Lyric Hammersmith and the Bristol Old Vic offers a contemporary take on this old favourite. However it is no wholesale exercise in ‘updating’ Wilde. In general his original lines have been left untouched in all their effervescent glory, though there are passing references to, for example, Beyoncé and the AI chatbot Claude. The most significant change is one of mood, for this production features an all-Black cast who bring more than a touch of Caribbean exuberance to the show, exemplified in some energetic dance sequences set to the beats of, amongst others, Ms Dynamite.
At the heart of the story is the relationship between Lord Chiltern (Chiké Okonkwo – sombre) and his wife Lady Chiltern (Tamara Lawrence – touchingly earnest). He is an ambitious politician with a dark secret to hide, while she believes she has married a man of absolute upright rectitude. Enter the determined blackmailer Mrs Cheveley (Aurora Perrineau – coldly ruthless), who possesses evidence that could destroy Chiltern’s career. In Rajha Shakiry’s costume designs Chiltern’s dark suit, his wife’s pure white dress and Mrs Cheveley’s slinky red outfit reflect the moral dynamics of their story. Chiltern is a weak man caught between two strong women. These three roles are played in a fairly traditional fashion, but elsewhere the costumes and accents are more flamboyantly West Indian, especially evidenced in the uninhibited performances of Suzette Llewellyn and Nimmy March as the pair of judgmental old matriarchs Lady Markby and the Countess of Basildon.
In the first act the shifts from one style to another are initially a little discomfiting, but before too long this production settles into a satisfying rhythm. In the pacier second act the social satire is delivered largely as an uninhibited, farcical romp, and the Wildean and the West Indian elements gel very effectively. More than any other factor, it is Jamael Westman’s outstandingly magnetic portrayal as the deliciously decadent Lord Goring that bridges the cultural gap.
Goring is the most detached character, a dryly cynical wastrel who nevertheless possesses a realistic grasp of human nature, and who eventually proves to be a faithful friend to the flawed Lord Chiltern. Westman adroitly shapeshifts, frothily camp one moment and serious-minded the next, keeping the audience on its toes. In the title role of Hamilton Westman earned a Laurence Olivier Award nomination and here too he gives a prize-worthy performance.
Elsewhere, Emmanuel Akwafo has fun as two contrasting butlers – the Chiltern’s long-suffering Mason and Lord Goring’s flouncing, melodramatic Phipps. Equally amusing is Tiwa Lade’s turn as the giddily ditsy Mabel Chiltern. An Ideal Husband wears its more serious themes very lightly, but its references to corrupt politicians and the moral compromises that come hand-in-hand with power have striking contemporary relevance.
Wilde’s wit demands a precise delivery of the words, and there are times when some of the cast lack that essential clarity, but overall this is a splendidly fresh revival, packed with infectious energy. Oscar Wilde would surely have approved.
★★★★☆ Mike Whitton, 12 June 2026
Photography credit: Helen Murray
