BLACKMAIL and political corruption lie at the heart of Oscar Wilde’s comedic play An Ideal Husband coming to the stage in Abingdon.

Touching on the themes of public and private honour, some of Wilde’s witty dialogue about life in politics in the 1880s appear just a relevant today as they were then.

Members of Breakaleg Productions will be performing Wilde’s 1985 work at the Unicorn Theatre from Wednesday to Saturday, September 10 to 13, at 7.30pm.

Together with The Importance of Being Earnest, An Ideal Husband is often considered as Wilde’s dramatic masterpiece, and is his most popularly produced play after Earnest.

In An Ideal Husband, the glamorous, mysterious Mrs Chevely (Lilly Dunkley) threatens the illustrious political career of Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs Sir Robert Chiltern (Vern Dunkley). The roles see the husband-and-wife acting duo making their debut with Breakaleg.

The situation poses the question of whether Sir Robert’s dandyish friend, Lord Goring (David Fardon), will help him to avoid a scandal.

Two other amateur actors making their debut with Breakaleg in this production are Jane Eyre-Brook as Sir Robert’s wife Lady Chiltern and Sarah Fell as his sister Miss Mabel Chiltern.

Many of the themes of An Ideal Husband were influenced by the situation that Wilde found himself in during the early 1890s and, in highlighting the need to be forgiven of past sins and the irrationality of ruining lives of great value to society, he might have been speaking about his own situation The play’s director Deidre Jones has relished working on the piece, saying: “I suppose every director loves Oscar, with so many witty observations dotted around the script. It has also been a joy, in this production, to work with some experienced actors and actresses who are new to BreakaLeg. I think the audience welcomes a mix of familiar and new faces.

“We at BreakaLeg love the elegance of Victorian manners, language and dress which typify Oscar Wilde and An Ideal Husband.”

Completing the cast for the production are Mike Davies as Lord Goring’s father, the Earl of Caversham, and Julie Kedward, Janet Rollett and Mirja Boyd as the Chilterns’ friends, Lady Markby, Lady Basildon and Mrs Marchmont respectively.

Former Herald Series sub-editor Peter Bradley has a double role in playing Mason the butler and being responsible for the production’s sound. John Bradford is in charge of the lighting.

Tickets for the play are £7 for Wednesday and Thursday and £8.50 for Friday and Saturday. They are available from The Bookstore, Abbey shopping centre, Abingdon, and from BreakaLeg Box Office on 01235 821351. See the website at www.BreakaLegProductions.co.uk for more details.