My excitement to return to the very welcoming Southwark Playhouse is matched by looking forward to a new retelling of Oscar Wilde‘s 1890s classic novel The Picture Of Dorian Gray – a very readable, sharp and witty masterpiece of timeless societal observation, morals challenged by vanity and curiosity, not only of the Victorian era but very suitable as well for the age of social media. I have been recommending the book to non-native speakers as their first classic novel to read in English for years: The beautiful eloquence of Wilde’s novel is as accessible as it always has been and for anyone not too familiar with his biography (it’s time!), I recommend the Stephen Fry film (“Wilde”) and a recently published episode by one of my favourite podcasts, Half-Arsed History.
And talking of recommendations, there is the quirky Southwark Playhouse for those who dare to try a theatre night out beyond the West End glitz, still walkable from London Bridge. Also, a gated food market just opposite with a fab brewery onsite, open late and fantastic for pre- and after show food and drinks. If you missed the opportunity, do not fear: The brilliant staff and the well equipped bar here at the Southwark Playhouse have you covered – the tank top and pearl necklace combining audience sips beers, cocktails and cups of tea in real china mugs alike between trips to the gender neutral bathrooms, all guerrilla-advertising an upcoming production about Tobey Maguire fandom.
On arrival at our seats, Dorian – The Musical surrounds the Faustian story of eternal youth and beauty visually and acoustically with the infamous Club 27 (hell or heaven?), and so the likes of Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain stare at us from their portraits – a troupe of undeniable coolness to stay for ever, never ever getting old. Hidden away subtly and without commentary, a poster of Metropolis.
Dorian Gray (played by Alfie Friedman) is a successful singer and songwriter, loved by the music and the fashion industry for his bohemian lavishness and boundless excess with his very own Black Heart fan fellowship, so successfully that he can leave the management even of his social media channels to others, mainly his husband and wife managers Wotton (George Renshaw and Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson) – a talented cast of fresh faces and voices resembling Harry Styles’, Gary Newman and Helen McCrory’s Polly Gray (that surname cannot have happened by chance, right?). Because flamboyant hedonism is fun, sells well, gets attention, likes and headlines, the three are constantly pushing themselves, each other and the borders of ambition, fame, publicity, desire, drugs and love – a sinful, violently self-focussed palette, only threatened by the process of aging. And as it is inevitable, the only way to win against age is a deal with devil: Live on as you do, try out more things, crasser things and let this masterful fashion photograph age for you instead.
It will take the downfall of many companions and their easily available and willing replacements to realise that cocaine won’t make you more likeable and neither your friends more loyal for long, and that photo app filters won’t make the real you prettier. Proudly not a dazzling West End musical, the songs are ambitious and challenging to sing, and create an intimate, threatening atmosphere. Making it much more playlist friendly in the second act (by now lace is swapped for leather), is a fascinating idea given that we watch a new retelling of Dorian Gray in the 2024 pop circus, too clever to attack social media hypes and fellowship addiction directly: The dramatic finale would have been loved by the late anti-Adonis Meat Loaf.
**** out of 5 stars
Dorian – The Musical ran at the Southwark Playhouse in August 2024, tickets from £24
Music and Lyrics by Joe Evans, book by Linnie Reedman after the novel The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Sadie takes the Stage 