Vanessa Hyde of BRIDEVIEW DRAMA, IS ON THIS WEEK in Lady Windermere’s Fan at The Everyman Palace Theatre, Cork

Vanessa Hyde’s BIG PROFESSIONAL STAGE DEBUT IN CORK – she’s playing the lead role in Oscar Wilde’s play, Lady Windermere’s Fan, directed by Michael Twomey, at the Everyman Palace Theatre, Cork, from Wednesday 19 – Saturday 29 January (excl. Sun 23) @ 8pm. Tickets range from €7 to €25. This is a great international comedy, performed all over the world year after year and a guaranteed excellent night out.

Vanessa was specially invited by Michael to take the lead role as Mrs Erlynne, which is a great compliment to her (and to Brideview Drama – after all, where would she be without our years of support and endlessly casting her in our shows, eh? ha ha ha).

Outline of the play:

Lady Windermere’s Fan, A Play About a Good Woman is a four act comedy by Oscar Wilde, first produced 22 February 1892 at the St James Theatre in London. The play was first published in 1893. Like many of Wilde’s comedies, it is a biting satire on the morals of Victorian society, particularly marriage.

The story concerns Lady Windermere who discovers that her husband may be having an affair with another woman. She confronts her husband but he instead invites the other woman, Mrs Erlynne, to her birthday ball. Angered by her husband’s unfaithfulness, Lady Windermere leaves her husband for another lover. After discovering what has transpired, Mrs Erlynne follows Lady Windermere and attempts to persuade her to return to her husband and in the course of this, Mrs Erlynne is discovered in a compromising position. She sacrifices herself and her reputation in order to save Lady Windermere’s marriage. The fan in the title can refer to both the physical object—which Lord Windermere buys for her as a 21st birthday present—and to her admirer, Lord Darlington—who pays her deeply flattering compliments and eventually reveals his love for her.
On the night of the premiere, Wilde presented himself on stage, to answer the calls of “Author!” Amusingly, critics were more offended by the cigarette in his hand than his egotistic speech: “Ladies and Gentlemen. I have enjoyed this evening immensely. The actors have given us a charming rendition of a delightful play, and your appreciation has been most intelligent. I congratulate you on the great success of your performance, which persuades me that you think almost as highly of the play as I do myself.”

Tickets are available on the door, or visit the Everyman website to book: http://www.everymanpalace.com/pages/whats-on.php Tel: 021 450 1673. Email: info@everymanpalace.com.