The Oscar Wilde Collection

By: Oscar Wilde

Narrated by: James Marsters, Jacqueline Bisset, Alfred Molina, Roger Rees, Eric Stoltz, Charles Busch, Yeardley Smith

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Four classic comedies from one of the wittiest playwrights in Western literature: Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, and The Importance of Being Earnest, all featuring star-studded casts with the likes of Jacqueline Bisset, Miriam Margolyes, James Marsters, Alfred Molina, Roger Rees, Yeardley Smith, Eric Stoltz, and many more. This audio also includes a chilling dramatization of Wilde's sole novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Lady Windermere's Fan:
The irreverent satire that launched Wilde's succession of classical comedies. A lord, his wife, her admirer, and an infamous blackmailer converge in this delicious comic feast of scandal. A divinely funny comedy of good girls, bad husbands, and the moral hypocrisy of British high society in the late 19th century. Stars Roger Rees, Eric Stoltz, Miriam Margolyes, Joanna Going, Gina Field, Judy Geeson, Arthur Hanket, Lisa Harrow, Dominic Keating, James Warwick, and Tom Wheatley. Directed by Michael Hackett.

A Woman of No Importance:
Devilishly attractive Lord Illingworth is notorious for his skill as a seducer. But he is still invited to all the "best" houses while his female conquests must hide their shame in seclusion. In this devastating comedy, Wilde uses his celebrated wit to expose English society's narrow view of everything from sexual mores to Americans. Stars Rosalind Ayres, Jane Carr, Peter Dennis, Judy Geeson, Paul Gutrecht, Martin Jarvis, Cherie Lunghi, Robert Machray, Miriam Margolyes, Samantha Mathis, and Jim Norton.

An Ideal Husband
A tender love story, a glittering setting in London society, and a shower of witticisms are only a few of the reasons this play has enjoyed hugely successful revivals.

©2010 L.A. Theatre Works (P)2010 L.A. Theatre Works

Critic reviews

"Fans of Oscar Wilde will delight in this collection of four of the author's best-loved plays and a theatrical adaptation of his only novel. These full-cast productions - Lady Windermere's Fan, A Woman of No Importance, An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest - feature energetic performances from a host of talented actors including Eric Stoltz, Martin Jarvis, Alfred Molina, and Jacqueline Bisset. Razor-sharp comedic timing from all the players will entertain listeners while the production of A Picture of Dorian Gray offers a darker pleasure and a cast that delivers a taut, suspenseful performance." (Publisher's Weekly)

"The smart direction and casting and well-executed musical scores are a boon to the production, which will keep audiences laughing and engaged through multiple listens." (Library Journal)

I heard one quote and had to know more

I discovered Oscar Wilde through a quote attributed to him. His subtle humor is fantastic. I laughed rarely but smiled often.

I want to listen to this audio repeatedly just to soak up all the subtleties that I may have missed.

Somebody please tell me who else writes like Mr. Wilde!

All charming until Dorian Gray.

Mostly charming versions of Wilde's plays with some interesting interviews as intermissions. The whole effect is ruined by a really detestable dramatic adaptation of Picture of Dorian Gray. Poorly conceived and poorly executed.

Stumbled onto a Masterpiece

I saw the author was Oscar Wilde and figured "why not?". 5 wonderful stories full of brilliant quotable dialogue. So glad I picked it.

The Best Performances of Wilde’s plays

After listening to various versions of these Wilde’s plays, including one by the BBC cast, LATW’s production has remained my favorite because of its superb mastery of Wilde’s wit and humor by a perfect cast.

Good Collection

If you know the plays, this is a decent collection.
While the performance is OK, Audible does have much better available as single plays for most. That said I like the collection in one audio format.

I found 'Dorian Grey' interpreted for stage interesting. The snips of interview and the the Theatre sounds of the audience did evoke the sense of a live production. If you like Theatre, then you will know that not all performances are world class and can be a bit forgiving.

My suggestion is to check through Audible's collection of Oscar Wilde and listen to a few samples before you decide on this. Especially so, if you are really only interested in one or two plays.

A Great Wilde Collection

This is a collection of five live performances of Oscar Wilde plays. All of these were wonderful. My favorites were Lady Windermere’s Fan and The Importance of Being Earnest. The Picture of Dorian Gray was not really an Oscar Wilde play but an adaptation of the novel which used lines dialog from other Wilde plays, which was only disappointing because of just having heard the identical lines in the other, preceding plays. This was the best adaptation of Dorian Gray that I have either seen or heard. The performances are very good and the writing is both funny and engaging. This is one of the best collections of plays I have listened to.

Very entertaining

The actors did such a great job! These stories are funny and well worth listening to as plays.

Witty, vivid Great Claasics!

Wished it never ended... such a pleasure to listen to these prominent actors! I had read some of the plays before, yet it was extremely interesting to hear them vivid, in a "real life". Voices are suited to the characters in an absolutely best way. Bravo to all the actors!

As for the customer plays... They are witty, flowing, fluid. Masterpiece!

Witty, witty, witty

Pure enjoyment! Each work plays for about an hour and a half. Here is the list:

A woman of no importance (1893): Chapter 1 (brief intro) -- Chapter 11 (closing credits).
Interview with Wilde's grandson and author Merlin Holland: Chapter 12 (12:35).
An ideal husband (1895): Chapter 13 (brief intro) -- Chapter 22 (closing credits).
Lady Windermere's fan (1892): Chapter 23 (brief intro) -- Chapter 31 (closing credits).
The importance of being Earnest (1895): Chapter 32 (brief intro) -- Chapter 39 (closing credits).
Interview with Director Michael Hackett: Chapter 40 (13:41)
The picture of Dorian Gray (1890/1): Chapter 41 (brief intro) -- Chapter 57 (closing credits).

Keep in mind that these are plays being played by actors before a live audience, as opposed to audiobooks.

Excellent

Wow what a great collection of plays by Oscar Wilde. I loved The Importance of Being Earnest and have heard it before the other 4 were just as delightful and two were haunting. I hadn't heard or read Picture Of Dorian Gray or Mrs. W's Fan. Loved them all