This month at Bristol Old Vic, Oscar Wilde’s classic work An Ideal Husband gets a bold new twist,
directed by Lyric Hammersmith’s Associate Director Nicholai La Barrie.
If Oscar Wilde ever managed to defy the laws of time and space to find himself writing society comedies in 2026, chances are he’d have an absolute field day with modern Britain. Political scandal, warped public images, social media’s cancel culture and the pressure to appear morally spotless at all times would offer rich inspiration. Which is precisely why An Ideal Husband still feels timely more than 130 years after it first appeared on stage.
This June, Bristol Old Vic welcomes a contemporary new production of Wilde’s classic comedy, directed by Nicholai La Barrie, Associate Director at Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. Running from 10–20 June, the production relocates Wilde’s world of privilege, politics and performance into present-day London, where image is everything and scandal spreads at lightning speed.
At the centre of proceedings is Sir Robert Chiltern: wealthy, successful, politically admired and seemingly untouchable. He has the immaculate home, the enviable marriage and the polished reputation expected of a modern public figure. But Wilde, of course, had little interest in perfection for perfection’s sake. Enter the formidable Mrs Cheveley, armed with dangerous information and a willingness to expose the cracks beneath the glossy surface.
What follows is a comedy of secrets, hypocrisy, temptation and social survival, packed with Wilde’s trademark wit.
La Barrie – who’s “very excited to be working on this show with such an incredible, dynamic cast” – believes: “An Ideal Husband is, at its heart, about the contradictions that define us: love and betrayal, politics and family, forgiveness and redemption, morality and greed. A century after it was written, these themes feel as urgent as ever.
“We are still navigating the same questions: how to balance ambition with integrity, how to forgive the people we love, how to reconcile private mistakes with public lives.
“Wilde wraps these struggles in razor-sharp wit, reminding us that laughter can be a way of facing uncomfortable truths. What I love most about this play is how it holds a mirror to us all, exposing the masks we wear in society while gently nudging us to find compassion, honesty, and even humour in our flaws.”
This production leans fully into the modern parallels. This is no dusty period revival, but is instead a sleek, contemporary adaptation that places Wilde’s characters firmly in the affluent London life, where public image can be both currency and weapon.
Yet despite the play’s darker undercurrents, An Ideal Husband remains gloriously funny. Wilde’s dialogue sparkles with quotable lines and social barbs, delivered here by an impressive ensemble cast featuring performers from stage and screen. Jamael Westman, best known for the title role in Hamilton, takes on the role of the charming and seemingly carefree Lord Goring, often considered Wilde’s comic masterstroke: dandyish, perceptive and quietly wiser than everyone around him.
Meanwhile, Aurora Perrineau plays the aforementioned scheming Mrs Cheveley, and Chiké Okonkwo appears as Lord Chiltern opposite Tamara Lawrance as Lady Chiltern. Elsewhere, the production features Suzette Llewellyn, Emmanuel Akwafo, Tiwa Lade and Jeff Alexander, alongside a vocal contribution from legendary broadcaster Trevor Nelson.
A ‘slick’ and ‘vibrant’ production
The production arrives in Bristol following a warmly received run at the Lyric Hammersmith in London. In a recent review, The Guardian praised the show’s contemporary energy and stylish approach, describing it as “slick” and “vibrant”, while highlighting how naturally Wilde’s themes translate into a modern setting.
Visually, audiences can expect a polished contemporary aesthetic courtesy of set and costume designer Rajha Shakiry, with lighting by Zeynep Kepekli and sound design from Holly Khan helping to create a world of luxury, image-consciousness and carefully-maintained façades. Movement direction comes from Alexzandra Sarmiento, adding another layer of physical storytelling to Wilde’s socially choreographed universe.
While An Ideal Husband asks some serious questions, it refuses to lose sight of pleasure. Wilde knew audiences came to the theatre to be entertained, and this play remains packed with flirtation, scandal, social absurdity and devastating one-liners.
As Mabel Chiltern (Sir Robert’s sister) observes: “I love London Society! It is entirely composed now of beautiful idiots and brilliant lunatics.” Such a line still lands well more than a century later.
Perhaps one of Wilde’s greatest abilities was how cleverly he exposes – beneath all that outward-facing glamour and laughter – the fragile idea of respectability, and how easily a carefully-managed appearance can crumble (something especially headline-worthy in contemporary celebrity culture).
The world may have changed a hell of a lot since the 1890s, when An Ideal Husband was first penned, but human nature certainly hasn’t.
An Ideal Husband is at Bristol Old Vic from 10-20 Jun | Tickets available from bristololdvic.org.uk
