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REVIEW | Oscar at The Crown, The Crown - London
- Harry Brogan
- Jun 6
- 3 min read
AD | Tickets gifted in exchange of an honest review
If you are looking for an immersive theatre experience fused with a high-energy club night out, you will find all of that and more at Oscar At The Crown.
In this bold show a group of outcasts led by “the original Irish it girl” aka poet, author and playwright Oscar Wilde (played by Mark Mauriello) party endlessly in a post-apocalyptic bunker, daily performing a musical about Oscar’s life to forget the world that has cast them out for being themselves.
After a 2019 debut in NYC and a stop at Edinburgh Fringe in 2023, Oscar At The Crown arrives in London with a revamped production featuring music, choreography, and costume design by Andrew Barret Cox, concept and book by Mark Mauriello (who also stars as Oscar), and direction by Shira Milikowsky.
The venue has been transformed into a dystopian bunker filled with TV screens, disco balls, neon lights, moving stages, and even a repurposed carriage from the London Underground. The rules are spray-painted on the entrance wall:
1. Go Anywhere
2. Go Live
3. GO WILDE
Audience members are encouraged to explore, record and post with #OscarAtTheCrown because “if it’s not on social media, did it even happen?”.
The performers in bold makeup and extravagant costumes move through the crowd, taking over multiple stages and immediately pulling the audience to the dance floor. The energy is electric even before the show officially begins. The level of excitement skyrockets when a green-haired Oscar Wilde, played by Mark Mauriello (who originated the role), Oscar Wild enters joining the Exiles (dancers: Isidro Ridout, Ran Marner, Natalie Yin, Ella Daini and Estelle Denison-French) and the other protagonists Vicki (played by Zofia Weretka, reprising the role), Ramona (played by Elinor Morris, professional debut), Erika (played by Kelis Alleyne, professional debut) and Sonja (played by Luke Farrugia).
The plot weaves together two surreal threads: Oscar Wilde’s biography, including his marriage to Constance (Elizabeth Chalmers), his romantic affair with Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas (Zak Marx), and his eventual imprisonment for sodomy, with a bizarre obsession over TV shows The Real Housewives and The O.C.’s Julie Cooper. The nine-minute number “Julie,” hilariously explained by Erika is nonsensical but fun, brings undeniable energy and a catchy chorus that will be stuck in your head for days. Still, as the show progresses, the relevance of these pop culture references fades away, leaving you to wonder if they were ever essential to the narrative.
The glittering world of the bunker starts to crack, as with a bang at the door a new arrival shakes things up. The group lets in a girl, renames her Kim, and attempts to carry on. But she becomes a reminder, forcing them to confront what they’ve tried to forget: the world outside is still out there, still cruel, yet hiding forever isn’t the answer. Asked to play the role of Constance (or is she really her?) she doesn’t stick to the narrative. Instead she challenges Oscar directly, further cracking the fragile order and forcing the group to question everything they’ve come to believe.
Andrew Barret Cox's choreography is fantastic, with many cast members bringing complex moves and impressive stunts to the stage. The vocals are equally powerful, demanding, high-energy, and this is consistent throughout the entire show.
Standout performances include the show’s creator Mark Mauriello, Mauriello commands the stage as Wilde, bringing a magnetic presence and a perfect mix of charisma and depth. Mauriello's performance is both vocally demanding and emotionally charged Mauriello guides us through Oscar’s rise and fall.
Elinor Morris shines as Ramona in a remarkable professional debut, Morris' vocals are strong and clear, and the high notes hit while dancing through a very energetic choreography are sensational.
The only issue was with the sound system, which often cut in and out as performers were wheeled around in the movable stages, causing several lines to be missed throughout the performance. While the venue is intimate enough that dialogue can still be heard without amplification, the inconsistent audio does detract from the overall experience, especially when it cuts out in the middle of a song.
Oscar at The Crown isn’t just a show, it’s an immersive theatrical experience that demands to be seen. It's the kind of experience that makes you want to relive it again and again, and yes, you'll be searching for the songs on the way home, it's that good!
★★★★.5
Oscar at The Crown is playing now until August at The Crown.
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