Those who have been following our blog for a little while will be aware that almost two years ago we were invited to the first (and so far) only Sly drag show created by the incredible mind of Josh Salisbury (who we chatted to on our YouTube channel and you can listen to at https://youtu.be/bbbpANhj_p0?si=DTwUMIRBWldcoZIK) and so when it was announced that Josh would be taking the drastic change to creating a rendition of iconic Oscar Wilde show I knew this was something not to be missed out on! It came as a surprise to literally everyone I spoke to before this show that The Picture of Dorian Gray was not a text I had ever looked at. Despite being an English graduate, the book taking a place on my coveted bookshelf for almost ten years and the story being one of the most iconic pieces of queer literature to ever exist, I have not had the opportunity to study this text and I do wish that I had taken the time to do a little more research prior to attending this show as the story itself is fairly complex and fantastical. For those who don’t know, The Picture of Dorian Gray tells the story of the angelic Dorian who sells his soul to remain eternally beautiful after an exquisite portrait is created of him. As the picture begins to age and decay, the titular character starts a life of crime in a bid to save his selfish vanity.
One of the many standout performances throughout this production would have to be the incredible Aeva Skye who took on the titular role of Dorian Gray themselves. Throughout the production, I could not help but notice how graceful and elegant Aeva presented herself as it not only played to the idea that her character was created to be extraordinarily beautiful (who essentially all of the characters fawned over) but also played on the actor’s own dance-based talents. Their hold of their body and footwork placements hinted at some form of dance training but it wasn’t until the unexpected ballet solo at the end of act one that it was clear these artistic choices were not just stylistic additions but were in fact Aeva playing to her strengths. This dance break came at the perfect point in the story as it represented the overwhelming nature of complex emotions the character’s feelings but also added yet another layer of production value helping the production turn the upstairs of a pub into a full theatrical experience! The second act of the show saw this character take a much more intense and dark path as these dance and elegant elements faded away as the character fades away from an object of desire to an unhinged outsider who will do anything to project their vanity. This was flawlessly portrayed by Aeva and the reduction of poise was a small detail that really added to the character’s journey showing not only a fantastic attention to detail but also demonstrating the skill of the performer behind the role!
Throughout the story, we are introduced to the glamorous Sybil Vane who was performed incredibly by the wonderful Lucie Rhiannon. This character serves as the lucky person selected to be the main focus of Dorian’s affection but we see this relationship fall apart throughout leading to a very dramatic and tense encounter in the later parts of the show. Not only was this a wonderful physical portrayal of the character but Lucie also used this opportunity to showcase their vocal talents that were excellently woven throughout the show. Our first exposure of the character saw Lucie mysteriously take to the stage under the light of a single candle as she delivered a show-stopping performance of a Welsh version of Mozart’s ‘Laudate Dominum’ which helped to add an extra layer of production value to the performance which is even more impressive when considering the show is staged at the intimate space above the Rummer’s tavern. One of the highlights of this production for me was a scene in which Dorian and his mates attend a performance by Sybil Vane where the audience could audibly hear a collection of heckles by Henry Wotton (but more on him later) which had the audience in hysterics throughout. This scene cleverly used the layout of the Rummer tavern as Lucie delivered a wonderful vocal performance that captured the character’s nerves flawlessly while the other character shouted abuse from behind the audience which made the audience feel totally immersed while maintaining the focus on the vocal performance being showcased.
My favourite performance of the entire show however came from Thomas Smith who took on the role of hedonistic friend of the titular character Lord Henry Wotton. The story essentially follows the collapse of the friendship between Henry and Dorian which was perfectly captured by both Thomas and Aeva who obviously have fantastic chemistry both on and off stage. This character arguably occupies the most time on stage but every single moment was totally captivating as the actor appeared totally at ease portraying this over-the-top aristocratic dandy with every utterance creating a sense that the actor themselves would say this day to day despite the archaic language being used. They were totally immersed in the character and stayed totally in character from the very moment they entered the stage area which helped the audience stay engaged throughout.
Taking a page from his own involvement in the Sly fundraising drag show at Cardiff University’s Student Union (which you can read about at https://rhysreviews.com/2024/05/01/sly-production-review/) Josh Salisbury was a major part of this production both on and off stage. Bring to life the distinctly different Uncle Fermin and the eccentric Aunt Agatha (but more of those later), he also took on directorial duties which showcased an immense amount of creativity and talent as he was not only able to construct the world of Dorian Grey but was also able to play within it himself! Tackling even one of these prominent roles would have sent me into a spiral but Josh seemed totally and ease and at home balancing these very different aspects of performing. As Uncle Fermin, Josh seemed totally at home and at ease with this historically accurate portrayal with the complex language patterns appearing natural and authentic. The injection of the charismatic performer came at the perfect time in the show as the audience was instantly captured and was left on the edge of their seats as to how the inclusion of the story would affect the rest of the ensemble on stage. It was the second of these iconic performances however that truly established Josh as a versatile actor as he returned (in drag) to play the wonderfully eccentric Aunt Agatha. While maintaining a sense of the authentic vernacular, Josh was able to have the audience in fits of laughter at the perfect time as an almost caricature of aristocratic women at the time whom the audience could not take their eyes off of!
Overall, The Picture of Dorian Grey by Malvolio’s corner was a unique and moving production that cleverly managed to inject wonderful amounts of production value despite the cosy and intimate venue it takes place in. Many of the actors seemed totally at ease capturing these historic roles which helped to bring to life the iconic material it is based on! As my first exposure to this historic text, this production helped to allow to source text to be accessible yet paid homage to the original text and if this production is anything to go by Malvio’s Corner is a company that I urge everyone to keep a close eye on! I would rate this production 4 out of 5 stars!
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