Lady Windermere's Fan

Synopsis

On the morning of his wife's twenty-first birthday, Lord Windermere gives her, as a token of his love, a beautiful present - a fan. However, she is to find out that her love is not as secure as she once believed. Who is the strange Mrs Erlynne and what is her husband's involvement with her? Within the structured confines of London 'society', Oscar Wilde creates a witty cartoon of morality and double standards. In twenty-four hours the happiness of Lard and Lady Windermere teeters on the precipice of scandal and disaster. Coloured with rakish young fops, innocent daughters, scheming mothers and bumbling gentlemen, lady Windermere's Fan is Oscar Wilde's classic comedy of manners, hidden identities and mistaken understandings.

Our Review:

Glenn Meads - 23 May 2012

Prior to Lady Windermere's Fan, all of Oscar Wilde's previous plays were failures. Seeing the latest Royal Exchange production, you can see why it was a breakthrough play for the celebrated playwright, as it contains his trademark wit, a familiar theme involving secrets and lies and a great collection of characters including the odd eccentric.

Lady Windermere (Laura Rees) is young, married and rich and very beautiful. Her seemingly perfect life is dealt a vicious blow when notorious gossip - the Duchess of Berwick (Bernice Stegers) informs her that her husband is having an affair with the mysterious yet enigmatic Mrs Erlynne (Lysette Anthony). Not only that, but the Duchess informs the Lady that this vamp is going to show to her 21st Birthday Ball. Comedy, mistaken identity, and soul searching ensues.

The play is billed as having elements of the thriller genre and it does not really suit that description as like many Wil...

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Latest User Review

God - 23 August 2012:

Son, don't be nice...it was rather fucked....

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