ARCHIVE - PAST EVENT

By Oscar Wilde

The glittering pillars of the baconied Octagon Room in the London home of Sir Robert Chiltern circa 1895, the hint of a London summer sky beyond, and the parade of fabulous, evening dresses as the ladies of the cast emerge on the arms of their handsomely suited partners, represent a level of theatrical spectacle no longer sought or expected on any other Scottish stage, outside the panto season. And although theatre should not be all about pretty costumes and gorgeous sets, the capacity to wow audiences in this way is part of its armoury, and Pitlochry's determination to retain that capacity an achievement worth applauding."
Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman

For Gertrude Chiltern, living by the highest moral standards is more important than anything: wealth, status – even love. She is fortunate, then, that her husband, Sir Robert, is the embodiment of her ideal: a junior Cabinet minister of growing influence, he enjoys a reputation for scrupulous honesty.

But is that reputation entirely deserved? The notorious Mrs. Cheveley has good reason to think otherwise. And at a reception at the Chilterns’ London townhouse, Mrs. Cheveley confronts Sir Robert with damning evidence of a past misdeed; evidence which, if made public, would destroy his career – and his marriage – at a stoke. Even worse, the price for Mrs. Cheveley’s silence is not money, but a political favour that would require Sir Robert to ‘mislead’ the Government.

In despair, Sir Robert turns for help to his friend, Lord Goring, a foppish socialite of some renown. Goring, it transpires, knows Mrs. Cheveley of old and has a plan to help Sir Robert. But Goring’s clever proposal has unexpected consequences. And he, Sir Robert and Gertrude have to engage in a complex and dangerous game with the vicious Mrs. Cheveley – a game in which the stakes could not be higher . . .

Wilde’s dark, glittering comedy explores the risks inherent in a life lived in the public spotlight: must a politician be perfect? Is it right that anyone should be judged entirely by their past? In 1895, such questions caused a sensation; with new questions about political integrity now dominating our own age, this elegant, stylish work retains a surprisingly sharp contemporary resonance.

Oscar Wilde's political and social comedy is given a lavish treatment by Pitlochry...characters glide on and off, the ladies sporting extraordinary opulent costumes
Joy Watters, The Courier