My Scandalous Life
Karl Levett
February 6, 2011: Thomas Kilroy's "My Scandalous Life" places Lord Alfred Douglas, the infamous lover of Oscar Wilde, center stage; the effervescent Oscar is forced to take an unaccustomed back seat. And for quite a time it seems that Lord Alfred, or "Bosie," as he was known to family and friends, is interesting enough to be spotlighted. But as the play proceeds—and as Bosie proves, even in his own words, to be an unreliable witness and a rather miserable human being—the wish for Oscar to brighten the proceedings becomes a heartfelt one. Unhappily, what was once the play's strength becomes its burden. Nevertheless, that Kilroy is able to make Bosie sympathetic even for a time is some kind of achievement. In the assured hands of actor Des Keogh, this is a portrait that Oscar enthusiasts will relish.
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