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Free Thinking: Landmark: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Landmark: The Picture of Dorian Gray

19/01/2016

BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Landmark: The Picture of Dorian Gray

Matthew Sweet, Will Self, Fiona Shaw and Merlin Holland discuss The Picture of Dorian Gray

Matthew Sweet discusses Oscar Wilde's novel The Picture of Dorian Gray with Will Self, Fiona Shaw and Wilde's grandson, Merlin Holland.

Merlin Holland, Will Self and Fiona Shaw join Matthew Sweet for a discussion about Oscar Wilde's novel which was published in Lippincott's Monthly Magazine in the July 1890 issue and then as a book 121 years ago in 1891. It prompted discussions about censorship and hedonism and went on to play a considerable part in the writer's downfall. Endlessly filmed, The Picture of Dorian Gray seems to communicate directly to successive generations - but how much about its writer can it really tell us.

Merlin Holland, Oscar Wilde's grandson, has adapted it for a new stage version which runs at The Trafalgar Studios in London from January 18th to February 13th.
Will Self's novel Dorian: An Imitation updated the story to the late 20th century.
Fiona Shaw played Agatha in the 2009 film version, Dorian Gray.

Main image: Peter Firth as Dorian Gray and Jeremy Brett as Basil Hallward, from the BBC's production of The Picture Of Dorian Gray, tx'd: 19/09/1976.

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