THEATRE REVIEW

SEPTEMBER 2026 | Volume 267

 

In 1882, not yet having written any of the works that would make him famous, Oscar Wilde toured the US and Canada, lecturing on subjects such as aestheticism and the English Renaissance. With his long hair, dandyish dress and witty delivery, Wilde was so popular that his four-month-long tour expanded to a year. In May he visited Kingston, Ontario.

John Lazarus’ new comedy, premiered by United Players with Western Gold Theatre, finds Wilde (Conor Cavanagh) landing in a Kingston hotel with his Black American valet, Davenport (Russell Zishiri). Roy Surette’s production, still trying to find its feet, unexpectedly makes Davenport rather than Wilde the play’s most fascinating character and putative hero.

In Kingston they become embroiled in various comic complications with locals Gwen (Emma Moon), a young reporter looking to interview Wilde; her hotel porter fiancé Alan (Patrick Jaworek);and Gwen’s English aunt Gussie (Sally Clark), who wants to prevent their marriage. Ernie (Bob Frazer), who professes an interest in Wilde’s ideas, also becomes involved.

Young Oscar’s intelligence and decadent elegance impress the locals but we see him just groping towards being the writer we know he will become. Gwen (dolen) and Alan, whose full name is Algernon; Ernie, whose real name is Jack; and Aunt Gussie, a Lady Bracknell wannabe, provide early hints of The Importance of Being Earnest. Gussie,obsessed with her fan, is Lady Windermere. Oscar’s letters to his late school-friend and lover, Dorian Gray, become key props in the plot.

Despite the clever allusions, Lazarus’ Wilde never quite lives up to what a dramatized Oscar Wilde character could be. We see Oscar working on some of the bons mots that willlater be so quotable, but he’s not especially witty in the play. And though Kavanagh manages a certain smooth shambolic refinement, his Oscar lacks the precise, detailed stylishness that came to be associated with the Wilde persona.

Lazarus’ marriage plot is cleverly enough resolved, but a comedy of manners with Oscar Wilde at its centre needs a stronger sense of style than director Surette seems able to construct here with his cast. Playwright and visual artist Sally Clark, whose extraordinary portraits decorate the lobby, struggles to ground the haughty, pompous, bizarre Lady Gussie, a hugely difficult character to get right. And Jaworek needs to bring down his yokelish Alan a couple of notches.

Emma Moon does finework as Gwen, a local with some sophistication, who looks great (as does Clark’s Gussie) in designer Näomi Lazarus’ elegant dresses. I loved set designer Starlynn Chen’s giant sunflower, a favourite image of Wilde and the Aesthetes, bursting out of the back wall. And it’s a pleasure to see the always excellent Bob Frazer back on the stage. He does what he canwith underwritten Ernie who turns out to be attracted to more than Oscar’s mind.

The play’s most interesting character is Davenport, a New Yorker who relishes his gig traveling with Wilde because he’s making so much money for his family.The loyal, witty, responsible servant who saves the day when Aunt Gussie tries to blackmail Oscar (who imagines naming one of his later characters Lady Blackmail), he is also a proudly outspoken, dignified “colored man”—what his community would call a race man—unafraid to face down prejudice, have his tea and muffins at Mr. Wilde’s table, and insist that Oscar call him Mr. Davenport.

Russell Zishiri hasn’t quite nailed down the character yet but he’s undeniably charming, especially in Davenport’sasides and self-mythicizing remarks. At one point, to entertain the audience while Oscar explains for a second time Gussie’s blackmail scheme, Davenport steps downstage and sings an entire song over the upstage conversation, earning Zishiri a well-deserved ovation.

I’ve been a John Lazarus fan since performing in one of his early plays in the 1970s. It’s a joy to see his work back on the Vancouver stage and a credit to United Players and Western Gold for taking the chance to premiere it.

 

 

 

get in touch with vancouverplays:

EMAIL US

SUBMIT LISTINGS

 SUBMIT PREVIEW

 ADVERTISE WITH US