The Picture of Dorian Gray Creative Director (Samuel Orange) with Dorian Gray (River Hawkins)
Over the weekend, I caught a press night performance of The Alchemic Order’s production of the Oscar Wilde classic The Picture of Dorian Gray. An immersive piece of theatre set in an actually lived-in Georgian townhouse, the play served as an excellent opportunity to enjoy a piece of great literature brought to life while getting to snoop round a bit in someone else’s home.
Director Samuel Orange (brother of Take That’s Jason Orange, who was in attendance the night I went) presented an intriguing adaptation of Dorian and despite a few foibles and liberties achieved a fantastic rendering by striking the right (and rather eerie) tone expressing deep appreciation for his material.
Acting varied in quality, but Wilde’s language more than carried itself and even a cold reading from people unfamiliar with this modern fable of vanity would have compelled. Set design by architects Feix&Merlin made smart use of interiors and exteriors, even offering a few “ooh ah” moments to the performance and utilising the space in such a way as to effectively transform the house into an integral character.
The Picture of Dorian Gray runs Tuesday to Saturday until the 28 September at an undisclosed location within a few minutes’ walk of Greenwich rail and DLR stations. (exact address revealed upon booking). Tickets are £35 (£25 on Tuesdays) and include wine and nibbles upon reception as well as at intermission and at the end of the play. Find out more and make a booking at thealchemicorder.com.
