Written by Neil Titley
Starring Will Govan | Directed by Rebecca O’Connor
Set in Paris in 1898, this acclaimed one-man play sees Will Govan embody a brilliant but broken Oscar Wilde, exiled and reflecting on a life lived in the glare of fame and scandal. Drawing on Wilde’s letters, essays, and irrepressible wit, Work is the Curse of the Drinking Classes is a tragicomic monologue that moves between dazzling humour and poignant heartbreak.
Wilde, now alone and disgraced after imprisonment, revisits themes of love, beauty, art and injustice with unflinching honesty and defiant charm. Whether you’re a lifelong admirer or a newcomer to his world, this 60-minute performance offers a fresh and humanising portrait of one of literature’s most iconic figures.
Performed over 700 times across five continents, this revival breathes new life into Neil Titley’s celebrated script. It marks a return to the stage for Govan — artist, interviewer, and co-founder of The Moth — under the direction of novelist and theatre-maker Rebecca O’Connor.
Critical acclaim has followed the show across the globe:
“Charming and witty” – Irish Times
“Funny and melancholic” – The Times
“Fine and genuinely moving” – Festival Times, Edinburgh
Come see Wilde as you’ve never seen him: alone, reflective, and devastatingly funny.
You may also like the following events from The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival:
Also check out other
Arts events in Belfast,
Workshops in Belfast,
Literary Art events in Belfast.
