A play that depicts the day of Oscar Wilde's arrest in the first act, and the day his lover left in the second act. The dialogue is witty, as one would expect when you're using Wilde as a character, but not witty enough to stack up to Wilde himself. The most interesting aspects of the case, the arrest and trial, actually are not depicted. Instead, we see Wilde struggling with himself and others as he makes decisions that will have a major impact on the rest of his life. It is always interesting to see such an intelligent and sophisticated individual make such bad decisions, and do it because of love for someone who does not love them as much. ( )

Hare starts with a great idea: a play focusing on conversations of Oscar Wilde and his lover, Lord Alfred "Bosie" Douglas on two significant days. The first is the day it becomes apparent that Wilde is about to be arrested on sodomy charges. He chooses not to flee the country but to stay and face imprisonment. The second act, set in Italy, is the day following Wilde's release from Reading Jail. The first act is talky and rather stiff, but the second, in which Wilde comes to realize what the man he has given up so much for is really like, comes to life. Wilde emerges as a hero of sorts, one who accepts the fate society has written for him and who never loses his wry humor. ( )