What I liked
The writing is intelligent, thoughtful, and witty.
Richard Abraham’s Oscar, clearly once an imposing presence, has lost the will for social swordplay and is now fencing for his life.
Patrick Censoplano’s energetic, commanding Dorian Gray (an alter ego who can’t be fooled) dishes out hard truths to his creator, yet nicely reveals flashes of petulance and fear beneath his swagger.
What I didn't like
It seems clear that this story wants to grow into a full-length work.
Oscar’s estranged wife Constance struggles to advocate for herself, faced with the temptation she has never been able to resist. In a future iteration, she might also show us the crusading feminist and author who intrigued a world-famous wit.
Oscar’s close friend Frank Harris is given too little to do. In the next draft, I’d hope to see the complex, world-traveling journalist and “fixer” that Harris was.intelligent, witty, interesting, poignant
My overall impression
“The Importance of Being Oscar” is literate, funny, interesting and lively. (Author Brandie June deftly uses several of Wilde’s best bon mots, and throws in a few of her own.) It still has some rough edges. But in brief compass, it explores the many difficulties — and discovers the real importance — of being Oscar.
