YOUNG OSCAR, WILDE IN SAN FRANCISCO To Be Presented At San Francisco Fringe Festival

"You never saw San Francisco like this!"

Locals and visitors alike will be delighted to find a velvet-clad Oscar Wilde holding court from the main stage at Exit Theater, and afterward enjoying the nighttime Tenderloin wonderland, while sharing a flask with a young dandy.

Oscar Wilde will appear for four performances only, at the 2022 San Francisco Fringe Festival, hosted by the stalwart Exit Theater at 156 Eddy St.This original, solo play by playwright/performer Eric Wilcox promises drama, intrigue, and historical interest for fans of Mr. Wilde. You may know of Oscar from his novel; The Portrait of Dorian Grey. Or perhaps you know his hilarious and delightful plays; The Importance of Being Earnest, and Lady Windermere's Fan. But who was Wilde before all that happened? His earlier, formative life had yet to be explored. In fact, a 26-year-old Oscar spent four heady days in San Francisco in 1882.

YOUNG OSCAR, WILDE IN SAN FRANCISCO devises an earnest aspect of the notorious ne'er-do-well as he saunters across America on a little-known but commercially successful ten-month lecture tour called 'The House Beautiful'. American playwright Eric Wilcox (My Peculiar Thrill, Under the Dark Moon, The Hasheesh Eater, Divided We Fall) uses archival sources and a cabaret acting style to create a captivating portrait of Oscar as an emerging writer honing his wit and trying out lines for the novel and plays that will become known a few short years later.

Those who are familiar with the towering scandal of Wilde's life and literary career will find this play an engaging back-story to his celebrated works. As the brash 'Apostle of the Aesthetic Movement', Wilde caused a sensation in bustling 1880's San Francisco, and in this play the audience will be transported to that moment. Playwright Eric Wilcox has written an actor's play, and it's a ride, too. He's still got some chops to deliver, and you'll be glad you got a ticket. Mister Wilcox was away adventuring for ten years. Don't miss his dubiously triumphant return.

Now celebrating its 31st season, the San Francisco Fringe Festival is produced by EXIT Theatre and is the oldest grassroots theatre festival in the Bay Area, and the second-oldest Fringe Festival in the US. The festival is part of a global Fringe community, and is run in accordance with CAFF (Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals) principles, including non-curated, unjuried show selection, and 100% of ticket sales going to the artists. In all, 21 unique productions will be performed in EXIT Theatreplex-at 156 Eddy Street-from September 8-17, 2022.

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