THE WORLD PREMIERE OF A NEW ADAPTION OF OSCAR WILDE’S 
​THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY 
by Charles Sharman-Cox 
Dixon Studio, Palace Theatre, Westcliff on Sea
9-13th October 2018

At the height of his fame, Oscar Wilde was arguably the greatest wit and leading playwright of his generation. Whilst much of his work is considered to be semi autobiographical, nowhere is this more apparent than in his novel, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’.

In May 1895, following his infamous court case with the Marquess of Queensbury, Oscar Wilde was sentenced to two years hard labour for acts of gross indecency. In prison his head was shaved and his name replaced by a number. During his incarceration not only was he subjected to solitary confinement but also to the inhuman regime of enforced silence at all times.

Set in Oscar Wilde’s prison cell, this new adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ takes place entirely in Oscar’s imagination. For only by re-living scenes from his most self-reflective work will he endure the isolation and degradation of prison life.

As well as directing the play, Charles Sharman-Cox will be playing the role of Lord Henry Wotton. In 2018 Charles won the Best Actor Statuette at the Global Shorts Awards in Los Angeles for his performance in Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Tell Tale Heart’. Charles is a former Associate Director at the Palace Theatre Westcliff and ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ is the second play he has written, directed and premiered in his home town theatre. The other being his highly successful adaptation of Bill Bryson’s hilarious best selling travelogue, The Lost Continent.

David Streames will not only be playing the role of Oscar Wilde but also a host of other characters from Wilde’s novel. These include the artist Basil Hallward, Alan Campbell and Sybil Vane. Based in Leigh-on-Sea, David is an actor of vast experience having played Thénardier in ‘Les Misérables’ and Bill Snibson in ‘Me and My Girl’ in London’s West End. Whilst most recently he has appeared in a new eight part crime series for BBC One, ‘‘The Interceptor’.

Craig Talbot will be playing the title role of Dorian Gray. Having recently graduated from the Guildhall School of Music Drama, Craig is soon to be seen in three episodes of ’On Order and Away’, a new TV Comedy Drama for Amazon Prime about the trials and tribulations of a group of misfits trying to find family in a remote English Countryside pub.

Interview with Charles Sharman-Cox below...

‘THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY’ IS AT THE PALACE THEATRE, DIXON STUDIO Tues 9th - Sat 13th October at 7.45pm Matinee: Saturday 13th at 2.30pm Tickets: £16.00 (£13.00 concessions) Box Office: 01702 351135 www.southendtheatres.org.uk