The Picture of Dorian Gray

Occasionally, theatre leaves me breathless and awestruck, and this Sydney Theatre Company production, adapted and directed by Kip Williams from one of Oscar Wilde’s best known 1891 works, is one such example. Quite simply, 37 year old Eryn Jean Norvill has been given the role of a lifetime and has delivered the performance of a lifetime.

One may ask how an over 100 year old story is so poignantly relevant today, and it is the modern 21^st century obsession with  self focus, beauty, perfection and agelessness that contextualizes it as a piece that not only resonates, but shimmers with portent about the tenor of our times and what also may be in store for our society. Whilst a little wordy, from the first few minutes Wilde’s story, alarms and warns us that things are not likely to go well for a beautiful young man who sells his soul for eternal beauty and youth, and takes us on a journey, full of warnings, to a terrible, dramatic conclusion.

Described as the centerpiece of the Adelaide Festival, Williams sees it as combining “technical wizardry with simple theatrical storytelling”. It is a tantalizing blend where the 13 black-clad roving crew on stage - visible and moving seamlessly from shot to shot on stage - are as rehearsed and integral to the performance as Norvill; not a single move is accidental, the precision critical to the audience being deeply immersed in every move and nuance. I was mesmerized by the deft, unobtrusive handing of props such as cigarettes (did they have filter tips in those days?), trays, flowers and costume pieces to Norvill, by a crew who were moving at relentless speed and incidentally operating cameras, introducing smoke effects and moving set pieces to support the flowing, galloping dialogue, action and interplay of new and old characters.

Incredibly groundbreaking and mind bending use of technology creates dimensions, effects and opportunities that coincidentally allow this Victorian written tale to be sharply relevant to today, and indeed, tomorrow. The vision that Williams brings as both writer and director is one of dazzling originality that challenges how theatre has been, and can be, envisaged.  Harnessing technology to underline the story’s 21^st century message, Facetune, the popular selfie-editing app, is used to widen the gap between our digital and real selves. Norvill struts the stage, delivering lighting fast dialogue, cleverly reshaping Gray’s face, ironically using a cheap, easy-to-use alternative in the pocket of anyone with a smartphone, allowing her to smooth, slim, and skew parts of Gray’s face in an instant. The distorted new face is distorted and changed so dramatically as to make the newly created ‘perfected’ face grotesque. It is an eerie, genius touch.

Designer Marg Horwell, Lighting Designer Nick Schlieper, Composer and Sound Designer Clemence Williams and Video Designer David Bergman are all critical in this tightly and imaginatively created package; each are standouts in this production. The costuming, makeup and wigs must be noted - not just for being so cleverly designed as to be able to be donned, and removed from an often moving, always talking actor - they skillfully embrace the classical look and style of the 1890’s and introduce a unique era transcending futuristic style as the story unfolds. The clothing is always beautiful, purposeful and always enhances the uniqueness of each of the 26 minor and major characters.

Norvill has a beautiful face, and indeed it is a powerful tool, constantly, often glaringly filling the screens above the stage. Her mobility, dexterity and deeply disciplined ‘love affair’ with the adroitly moved cameras is a joy to behold and the audience becomes party to every aside, every nuance, and every purposefully planted message. People have compared her to a ‘new Cate Blanchett’, and I frankly believe that she is really in a class of her own.

The Picture of Dorian Gray uses Oscar Wilde’s beautifully crafted story and Williams’ imaginative and groundbreaking script to deliver a highly relevant 21^st century allegory where our hedonism is starkly challenged. All of this is in the hands of one powerful, immensely talented actor who delivers a master class in acting. A must see production.

Jude Hines  

BUY THE PLAY SCRIPT

Photographer: Daniel Boud

Click here for more Adelaide Festival 2022 reviews