Wilde revival at Park Theatre carries its creator's own hidden story

Michéal Mac Liammóir created The Importance of Being Oscar in 1960 for Dublin's Gate Theatre. He was an Englishman who adopted an Irish identity and lived openly gay in Ireland, where homosexuality was criminalised until 1994. His show celebrates Wilde, imprisoned for gross indecency. The revival, starring Alastair Whatley, runs at the 200-seat Park Theatre, Finsbury Park, until 22 August 2026.