An Ideal Husband

This wild reworking of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband combines political scandal and ‘90s pop culture, with at least one dance routine, playing at La Boite Theatre from July 18 to August 6, 2022.

Set in the hallowed halls of Canberra’s House of Representatives in the mid-1990s, this modern remake of Wilde's classic dabbles in political corruption, hypocrisy, blackmail and scandal, while also posing age-old questions about love, loyalty and the value of relationships.

Adapted by award-winning playwright Lewis Treston, this play is a fantastical reimagining of 90's Australian politics. “It’s in no way historically accurate and while some bits are recognisable, relatable and have resonance today, I’ve had a lot of fun making things up" Treston says.

“I’ve taken recognisable political archetypes and used them and while the characters are not real people, there’s definitely a wink and a nudge to who they might be based on.”

Playwright Oscar Wilde gets a similar treatment, his wit and witticism skewed to a modern audience, his preposterous plot lines gently teased, and his zingy one-liners interspersed with ‘90s catchphrases.

Breathing life into the sizzling script is a popularly-elected all-star cast including Emily Burton - the 2022 Best Actress Matilda Award winner for La Boite’s Naked & Screaming - Christen O’Leary, Will Carseldine, Billy Fogarty, Patrick Jhanur, Kevin Spink, Hsiao-Ling Tang and Kevin Hides.

Costume and Set Designer Chloe Greaves has draped the cast in iconic ‘90s fashion and converted La Boite's Roundhouse Theatre into Federal Parliament’s House of Representatives, complete with signature green furnishings and a public balcony.

Self-confessed political junkie and ‘90s tragic, Director Bridget Boyle says "An Ideal Husband is a fast-moving play that’s part sitcom and part French farce laced with references from Seinfeld to Clueless, all set to a classic 90’s soundtrack. And there's at least one dance routine".

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