By James Inverne
22 Oct 2004

Mike Read’s Oscar Wilde — at the refurbished Shaw Theatre on London's Euston Road — has become the shortest-running musical in West End history.

Having opened on Oct. 22 to mark the 150th anniversary of Wilde’s birth, the show was immediately closed by its director and composer Read. The spur for the cancellation was the poor bookings for the second night — only five of the theatre’s 466 seats had been sold.

The following day the reviews came out, and there was nothing to make Read reconsider. “Bilge,” said the Daily Telegraph, while the London Evening Standard called it “a musical of exquisite awfulness.”

In a statement, Read said, “I am naturally devastated at the turn of events. We had a fantastic West End cast and the reaction of the audience at the press night was terrific.” For Peter Blake, who played Wilde, this isn’t his first show to close early recently. He also starred in Money to Burn at The Venue off Leicester Square which, closing after press night and a matinee, was Theatreland’s previous shortest-running musical.

Read has been voted UK National Broadcaster of the Year ten times, and has fronted dozens of shows on music. He has also composed a catalogue of hit songs that have been recorded by the likes of Cliff Richard, David Essex, Slade, Alvin Stardust, Donovan, Don McLean and Leo Sayer. His career underwent a resurgence in 2004 when he starred in the reality TV show “I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here.” His other stage musicals include Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol and Oh Puck! . Currently he is pressing ahead with a musical about the Village People, entitled YMCA The Musical, scheduled for production in 2005 with Read again to direct.