Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Led by Rupert Everett as Oscar Wilde, David Hare’s THE JUDAS KISS rises anew at BAM

• By drediman
• May 19, 2016
• No Comments

When David Hare’s The Judas Kiss first premiered at the Almeida Theatre in 1998 – before transferring to the West End and then to Broadway – it was immediately dismissed as lesser Hare. Less political and intellectually rigorous than Hare’s best-known works (plays like Plenty, Skylight, and The Secret Rapture quickly come to mind), The Judas Kiss in its original production seemed to many simply an imperfect vehicle for Liam Neeson.

Fast-forward almost two decades, and Hare’s play about the latter days of Oscar Wilde gets a shot at a reassessment, courtesy of Neil Armfield’s graceful, focused production that’s currently residing at BAM’s Harvey Theater (after previously playing the West End and Toronto). The key to unlocking the play, which strikes me as deeply-felt, elegantly symmetrical and no less well-crafted than Hare’s other plays, is the casting of Rupert Everett as the older, world-weary Wilde.

In Mr. Everett’s hands, Wilde is less the hapless victim of events beyond his control and more an active participant in his narrative. Despite being chair-ridden for much of the show (Mr. Everett dons a fat suit underneath his costume), you can tell in Mr. Everett’s darting, critical eyes that this is the same Wilde we all know and love. His demise is calculated and deliberate, which makes this a much more interesting play than the static, sappy tragedy I once thought it was. It’s an exquisite, richly detailed performance that shouldn’t be missed. Mr. Everett is supported superbly by Cal MacAninch and Charlie Rowe, who play Robbie and Bosie – the two loves of Wilde’s life and theatrical manifestations of his conscience – respectively.

Technically, Mr. Armfield’s production is gorgeous to behold (note that there is substantial nudity in the production). Dale Ferguson’s draped, sparely appointed set is striking to look at and Sue Blane’s costumes are period-perfect, convincingly transforming Mr. Everett into an aging, physically limited Wilde. Rick Fisher’s atmospheric, almost surreal lighting beautifully compliments the text, appropriately suggesting that Hare’s play is more a mediation on themes and events rather than a recreation of actual events. Additionally, the Harvey’s decrepit chic is the perfect venue to excavate one of western theater’s iconic figures.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

THE JUDAS KISS
Off-Broadway, Play
Brooklyn Academy of Music, Harvey Theater
2 hours, 20 minutes (with one intermission)
Through June 12