Oscar Buzz

I went to the opening night of An Ideal Husband at The Abbey last week. It wasn't exactly a star-studded premiere - but I did see Gaybo. (Hmm. Gaybo and I both got invites to an Oscar Wilde play. I really hope that isn't sonebody's idea of a witty guestlist.) Anyway, the play was very entertaining. It's not my favourite Wilde play but there are some cracking one-liners; some hilarious, others profound truisms. Mark O'Halloran was brilliant and I'm not just saying that because I know him! I think I can say he was the male lead but there was quite a large cast so who knows what the pecking order was! Dearbhle Crotty (my guess as the female lead) was fun although my friends thought she was a bit over-the-top. Clearly I have a different threshold for "over the top"!

The costumes were beautiful period pieces and, for once, the mens' were as interesting as the womens'. The men had formal blacktie for evening scenes but the daywear outfits were my favourites. I'd wear them!

My one gripe about the production was the set. Compared to the amazing trompe d'oeuil black and white set for last year's The School for Scandal, this set was a disaster. The floor was filthy. We could see markings for set pieces. There were exposed electrical wires - most notably the ugly plug within the chandalier.... And somebody please explain the tattered curtain that only streched across half the prosenium arch. Weird!

That said, it was a very enjoyable evening. And now I want to do a play!