Driven by its inventive set design and engaging cast performance, IMMERSIVE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY is a play that is talked about long after you leave the theatre.
Adapted from Oscar Wilde’s classic book about power, love, vanity, self-gratification, manipulation, and unrepentant violence, Midnight Circle Productions’ latest adaption takes the concept of immersive experience to a new level.
Playing at The Crypt in St. Peter’s Bethnal Green, Immersive Picture of Dorian Gray begins from the moment you enter the venue. The audience is left to mingle around various props and clues left around the venue, and the cast introduces themselves in character, talking about their lives and events that are due to happen shortly. Every actor fulfils their part perfectly, with a special mention to Nadia Lamin for her performance as Lady Victoria Wotton and Piers Mackenzie for his role as Dorian Grey, adding a definite vibe of Andrew Scott to his character.
The play opens with a whirlwind of activity, taking the audience through the story of Dorian Gray after viewing his portrait. At every point, there are clues about what is going on between the different characters. The audience must choose which room to enter and which scene to witness, which is both a curse and a blessing. This makes the audience more invested in certain characters and moulds their opinions of who is to blame for what ultimately happens. It also means you miss other scenes, leaving you wondering what is happening in the other rooms.
The set design is planned and executed perfectly. Every prop is accurate for the period of the play, and most are relevant and add to the story and characters within it. As an immersive experience, you can touch the props, read the letters, and sit on the furniture.
The only negative is that the action takes place in the Crypt of an old church with steep steps leading down to the rooms, making it unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues. Be sure to dress appropriately, as the venue is cold.
Immersive Picture of Dorian Gray is a play discussed long after it finishes. It is likely to encourage reading Oscar Wilde’s original book with more enthusiasm, interest and knowledge than you would have before. Overall, a great concept and a fantastic adaptation.
Immersive Picture of Dorian Gray runs at The Crypt St. Peter’s Bethnal Green, London, until 29 April 2023.
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