Oscar at the Crown in London review: The queer musical turning Wilde into a rave icon

Some 125 years after the Irish author, poet, and playwright’s death, what more is there to be said about the life of one of the most popular, prolific, and influential playwrights of London, Oscar Wilde? Well, Oscar at the Crown is the answer.  

Oscar and the Crown was a musical that took New York and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023 by storm, and it finally has found its London home at a brand-new, purpose-built bunker on Tottenham Court Road. 

It’s not out of reason to imagine that Oscar himself would be embracing his hedonistic lifestyle – with all the trimmings – at a queer rave if he was still alive today, and Oscar at the Crown successfully brings this concept to life. 

Wilde, played by the immensely talented Mark Mauriello, has formed a secret queer society who are hiding in a bunker to live authentically as themselves, whilst the world around them ends due to the rise of an Orwellian fascist state. (I wish I could say this was dystopian theatre, although it is a little too close to reality these days). Mauriello brings an edge to Wilde reminiscent of The Rocky Horror Show’s Frank-n-Furter that is truly captivating to watch. 

The relatively simple plot is a narrative of Wilde’s life, with some niche comparisons to modern pop culture. Truthfully, mentions of The Real Housewives and The OC completely went over my head. If you, like me, are not familiar with these shows, then some references won’t land with you. 

Which can be a shame, as the production is a single act spanning 90 minutes; there isn’t enough time to dwell on some of the deeper themes the production could explore, with it instead focusing on allegories I couldn’t fully appreciate.  

Although this might sound negative, this is far from a negative theatre experience. Oscar at the Crown isn’t your simple musical biopic, nor do I think that it is trying to be – it’s an extremely fun night out. 

From the moment you enter the bunker, you witness the ensemble dancing amongst you as if they’re regulars at the club that you just so happened to stumble upon. Even after the final song, they encourage you to carry on the night with them as the space transforms into a musical rave. 

It would be completely reductive of me to not speak about the bunker itself, as the personality of the space is what truly brings the production to life. This isn’t just any bunker – this is the queer bunker of your dreams. 

With set design by Andrew Exeter, the fully immersive production welcomes a complete 360-degree interactive space. I wouldn’t blame you for believing you had accidentally walked into a nightclub. From the (oddly beautiful) Orwellian influence to the fabulous lights, it isn’t hard to see why the musical’s home has already been named one of London’s Top 10 LGBTQ+ venues in the Time Well Spent Awards 2025.

My one recommendation would be to stand in the middle of the space, as sometimes the performers, understandably, move out of eyesight faster than it takes you to take a sip of your cocktail. 

The musical nightclub experience is successfully heightened by the songs themselves. With an original electropop score written by Andrew Barret Cox, composer of RuPaul’s Drag Race royalty, the musical is energised with electrifying beats that make you want to dance. Truly standout songs are ‘Julie’ and the closing number ‘Glimmer of Light’. Both have been added to my ‘I am cultured in theatre’ playlist, which I occasionally whip out when trying to impress people. 

I could not think of a more unique way to explore the life of Oscar Wilde than Oscar at the Crown. To summarise my experience with a quote from Wilde himself: “And so, indeed, I went out, and so I lived.” *Tongue pop*.