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s e t o N
AN IDEAL HUS
ector From Dir
lson Steve Wi
It seems difficult to fully comprehend the changes we have all endured over the last 14 months. Outrageous fortune has truly outdone herself! Those of us privileged to call ourselves theatre artists have been particularly hard hit since our passion lies in gathering people into confined spaces to provide an authentic, transformative and singular experience. While we honor the good work done online, we are delighted to welcome you all back to the theatre!! I will not bore you with my personal journey, but suffice it to say, when Bryce Alexander called me to direct this production of An Ideal Husband, it was a pivotal moment in my life. I had known the play on the periphery of my experience, but, like many, my impressions of Oscar Wilde were dominated by his extraordinary comic play The Importance of Being Earnest as well as the great tragedy of his real-life story. While Earnest is certainly a great play, I believe An Ideal Husband to be Wilde’s masterpiece. It is constructed perfectly, flowing seamlessly between humor and anguish. It offers a cleaner plot than the moving and dark A Woman of No Importance while combining the deft and brilliant comic wordplay recognizable in Earnest and Lady
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TNP BACKSTAGE
Windermere’s Fan with a staggering pathos that makes artist and audience dig deep to consider the universal reflections of the play. At times, Husband defies classification, since there are elements of comedy, melodrama, tragedy, political drama, and a morality tale simmering beneath the surface of Wilde’s genius with language and human observation. An Ideal Husband combines a captivating plot with a plethora of three-dimensional characters and explores several thematic topics that seem designed to engage an audience in various ways. The theme of ambition as defined by the political machinations that manifest behind closed doors seems strangely relevant in a politically divided America of 2021. And while we experience the price of Robert’s dark secret, he will remind us of the necessity of this moral transgression in his ability to be ultimately successful. This seems out of keeping with the traditional stereotypical hero whose spotless reputation never really reflects the real ambiguities of life.
AN IDEAL HUSBAND
