Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – A multimedia triumph: Sarah Snook lives up to the hype in the stage adaptation of THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY

• By drediman
• March 28, 2025
• No Comments

Last night, the highly anticipated theatrical adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s notorious novel The Picture of Dorian Gray opened on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre headlined by Sarah Snook (who is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Shiv Roy in the acclaimed television series Succession). Originally presented in 2020 by the Sydney Theatre Company, the production has since traveled to the West End in London, where it has generated tremendous word of mouth. In short, the piece tells the story of the titular Dorian Gray, a young man who in essence “sells his soul” in order to remain physically young — allowing him to live a life of depravity and amorality, driven by the pursuit of pleasure — while his painted portrait incurs the ravages of time and his decadent lifestyle.

Although many would describe the piece as a solo show — in an epic turn, Snook plays all 26 characters — the multimedia adaptation by Kip Williams (Sydney Theatre Company’s artistic director) essentially requires a small village of cameramen and other crew members to execute the elaborate conceit of the production. In fact, the entirety of the stage — and at times, some of the backstage areas — is used as a studio; the resulting film is simultaneously projected on multiple screens, which is arguably a more democratic way for theater audiences to consume the work. But it’s more intricately wrought than that — both set pieces and screens are in continual motion, resulting in a visual presentation that’s in constant dance-like motion, both onscreen and onstage. At the center of all this highly choreographed activity is Snook, who navigates it all with impressive panache and sense of timing.

In terms of her performance, Snook takes the bull by the horn and runs with it, walking the fine line between pulpy parody and gothic tragedy with unperturbed finesse. It’s an astonishing and highly physical/disciplined feat, to be sure, especially considering the complex mode of production. No doubt many traditionalists will scoff at the excessive use of video projections — particularly the use of pre-recorded footage of the actress, with which the “live” Snook interacts with — especially with the current revival of Sunset Boulevard already pulling off the same kind of hybrid trickery, albeit on a less ambitious scale. But if you’re willing to accept and embrace this kind of theatrical storytelling as a legitimate form — as l eventually did after much contemplation — this Doran Gray can’t be missed for its audacious ingenuity.

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THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Broadway, Play
Music Box Theatre
2 hours (without an intermission)
Through June 15