Little Ones Theatre does Oscar Wilde

There’s a lot to be said about contemporary renditions of literary classics performed in small theatres. There are no big sets, fancy props, dramatic costume changes or chorus line to hide behind. It means the interpretation needs to be engaging and the delivery en pointe.

For the Little Ones Theatre’s rendition of Oscar Wilde’s The Nightingale and the Rose, the cast consisted of just three people, the set minimalistic and the score non-existent. And yet, the performance was both captivating and moving, sensual and emotionally charged.

Cast Jennifer Vuletic (the nightingale), Brigid Gallacher (the student) and Yuchen Wang (the rose) tell Wilde’s melancholic tale by filling it with adult longing and romanticism throughout.

The timeless script was delivered beautifully, full of emotion and poise, and complemented by delicate movement and stunning acapella songs from the nightingale.Its simplicity and visuality, combined with the sensual interpretation of Wilde’s characters by the talented cast allowed the production to be emotionally charged and engaging for a modern-day audience. I left the theatre feeling rightfully emotional, eating every word and drinking every note sung in this heartbreaking rendition.

Little Ones Theatre is a queer theatre company established in Melbourne in 2012 by director Stephen Nicolazzo and designers Eugyeene Teh, Katie Sfetkidis and Daniel Nixon. Investigating works that explore gender and queer aesthetics, Little Ones Theatre produce shows that are kitsch, camp, sensual and erotically charged.

Little Ones have toured their shows across the country and have received a number of awards for their unique productions focusing on queer text-based plays and poetic dream-like performances that are inspired by canonical queer writers. 

The Nightingale and the Rose 
Theatre Works, 14 Acland Street, St Kilda
littleonestheatre.com.au