An Ideal Husband – Gate Theatre – Review
Dates: 8th May – 11th July

AN IDEAL HUSBAND by Oscar Wilde
Photo – Ros Kavanagh

In this play, we are plunged into a world of political intrigue, blackmail, and corruption, along with the consequences these forces have for the personal lives and families of those involved. The opening scene unfolds at a lavish gathering for the rich and famous of London society. Rising parliamentarian Sir Robert Chiltern (Richard Flood) and his wife, Lady Chiltern (Ayoola Smart), are hosting an elegant soirée. Among the guests is their close friend, Viscount Goring (Matthew Malone), a charming man about town with neither the need nor the inclination to work — much to the frustration of his father, the Earl of Caversham (Nick Dunning). A surprise arrival comes in the form of Mrs Cheveley (Caitríona Ennis), who accompanies Lady Markby (Ingrid Craigie). Mrs Cheveley shares a complicated history with Viscount Goring, but she also possesses a letter written years earlier by Sir Robert, one that threatens to return and haunt him.

An Ideal Husband was written by Oscar Wilde in 1895, at the height of his creative powers — the same year The Importance of Being Earnest premiered on stage. This new production is directed by Marc Atkinson Borrull, who is based in Brooklyn and Dublin.

Featuring: Caitríona Ennis and Matthew Malone

The production’s aesthetic clearly draws inspiration from recent film and television interpretations of period drama, such as Bridgerton and Wuthering Heights. Although firmly rooted in the Victorian era, it incorporates striking modern flourishes. Classical columns the rear of the stage, yet by the closing scenes, they glow with fluorescent strip lighting. At first glance, the costumes — designed by James McGlynn Seaver — appear authentically Victorian, but closer inspection reveals contemporary fabrics and tailoring. The result is an intriguing fusion of old and new.

Another notable feature is the inclusion of scenes of reckless abandon during the set changes, offering glimpses of what may have taken place “behind closed doors”. Whether these moments are intended to represent reality or exist only within the imaginations of the protagonists remains deliberately ambiguous. Some audience members may object to the addition of elements absent from Wilde’s text, as they cast the characters’ otherwise restrained and controlled public behaviour in a very different light.

Caitríona Ennis arrives fresh from her performance as Rosie Redmond in The Plough and the Stars at the Abbey Theatre, and the transformation is remarkable, showcasing the breadth of her range as an actor. Here, she relishes the role of the play’s manipulative and quick-witted antagonist. Matthew Malone is equally impressive as Viscount Goring. Having played Alceste in A Misanthrope at Smock Alley last year, he once again demonstrates his exceptional diction and comic timing, delivering Wilde’s stream of epigrams and witticisms with effortless precision.

This play is one of Wilde’s four great society comedies, all written during the 1890s. Audiences know what to expect from Wilde: sparkling dialogue, razor-sharp satire, and many memorable lines. At nearly three hours, including the interval, the production perhaps could have benefited from some tightening. It is a considerable run time for a comedy, though there is always the understandable hesitation that comes with cutting a writer as masterful as Wilde. Faced with dialogue this polished, what can one reasonably leave out? The style of the sets and costumes makes this a bright and brash production, and it is always welcome to see so many new faces on the Gate Theatre stage. This is a sharp, energetic production that places a contemporary stamp on a much-loved classic.

Featuring: Gabriel Draper, Matthew Malone, Daniel Reardon and Ayoola Smart

AN IDEAL HUSBAND by Oscar Wilde

CAST
LADY MARKBY: Ingrid Craigie
LADY BASILDON: Wren Dennehy
VICOMTE DE NANJAC/JAMES: Gabriel Draper
THE EARL OF CAVERSHAM: Nick Dunning
MRS. CHEVELEY: Caitríona Ennis
ROBERT CHILTERN: Richard Flood
VISCOUNT GORING: Matthew Malone
MRS MARCHMONT: Sadhbha Odufuwa-Bolger
MISS MABEL CHILTERN: Claire O’Leary
MONTFORD/MASON/ PHIPPS: Daniel Reardon
LADY CHILTERN: Ayoola Smart

CREATIVES

Director: Marc Atkinson Borrull
Set Designer: Kat Heath
Costume Designer: James McGlynn Seaver
Lighting Designer: Sinead McKenna
Sound Designer and Composer: Martha Knight
Movement and Intimacy Director: Paula O’Reilly
Casting Director: Áine O’Sullivan
Assistant Set Designer*: Niamh Kearney
Assistant Lighting Designer*: Jess Fitzsimons Kane
Resident Assistant Director: Signe Lury

*The Assistant Lighting and Set Designer Roles are made possible by our partnership with the Irish Society of Performance Designers through their Assistant Designer Programme, who are supported by the Arts Council