The Importance of Being Oscar Wilde’s Valet
A new play by JC Niala and Bobby Theodore
£6 available at the venue or online via: https://oldfirestation.org.uk/whats-on/
Two Oxford students, Itara and Ernest, believe they have discovered the story of their lifetime. An ambitious professor, whose work drove him to death, left behind incomplete and tantalising work on Oscar Wilde’s African-American valet, Stephen Stephens. Itara is dedicated to telling the historical truth. Ernest just wants to tell a good story. Will they reveal who Stephen Stephens really was, or will he force them to find out who they really are?
The Importance of Being Oscar Wilde’s Valet is a play set in Oxford, exploring the imagined experiences of Stephen Stephens and the impact Oscar Wilde may or may not have had on his life. It is known that Wilde met Stephens during his 1882-3 tour of the US. No-one has told his story until now.
Join us for a rehearsed reading of the play, followed by a post-show discussion.
Bobby Theodore is a two-time Betty Mitchell Award winner, a Canadian Screen Award finalist, and a Governor General’s Award finalist. JC Niala, an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Warwick Theatre and Performance Studies department, received the prestigious Nancy Dean Prize in 2021 for her play Out of Bounds.
Co-produced with the Cultural Programme at Oxford University and in collaboration with the Old Fire Station, Oxford.
