An Ideal Husband
Vaudeville, London WC2
★★★★
After a sloppy Lady Windermere’s Fan, it’s good to see Classic Spring’s Oscar Wilde season glide back on track with Jonathan Church’s handsome production of this elegant comedy, which makes such a strong plea for tolerance. Despite the glamorous costumes and stultifying etiquette, it is surprisingly topical at times. There’s even a comment about immigration that gives Susan Hampshire’s Lady Markby an unexpected laugh. Robert Chiltern, a rising star in the government, is shocked by the news that Mrs Cheveley will reveal a corrupt deed in his past unless he backs a shady scheme of her own. Exposure would ruin his career and his marriage. As the fiendish Cheveley, Frances Barber perilously teeters on the territory of Cruella