Stage version of Oscar Wilde’s The Young King

Right: Lachlan Barnett in the title role

Step inside the court of The Young King, as one of Oscar Wilde’s best-kept-secret stories unfurls around you in Queensland Performing Art Centre’s (QPAC) Cremorne Theatre from 23 to 27 July.

Brought from page to stage by Adelaide-based theatre company Slingsby, The Young King is a magical tale told through a union of whimsical theatre and audience participation.

First published in Wilde’s A House of Pomegranates, The Young King tells the story of a boy born to a princess and a poor woodland man. Snatched from his parents as a baby, the Young King is raised by a kindly goatherd in a deep forest, until one day he is discovered to be heir to the kingdom.

Adapted by award-winning playwright Nicki Bloom and directed by Slingsby Artistic Director Andy Packer, this piece of immersive theatre is a show for the young and young at heart.

As soon as audiences enter the theatre, they will be thrust into the ethereal world of the Young King, and the surprises continue to the end of the show.

Mr Packer said the company was thrilled to bring one of Wilde’s lesser-known masterpieces to new audiences.

“In his tale The Young King, Oscar Wilde employs his trademark alluringly ornate language to draw us into a story that forces us to confront our notions of beauty, leadership and compassion,” said Mr Packer.

“The story is a wonderful combination of hope, loss, death and new beginnings that will challenge the audience and encourage them to find their own path and stand their ground.”

Co-founded in 2007 by Packer, Slingsby produces and tours original theatre that captivates, challenges and inspires international audiences of adults and young people.

Tickets are on sale now via qpac.com.au or 136 246.