The extraordinary Paul Capsis returns to fortyfivedownstairs this May with a searing rendition of Oscar Wilde’s De Profundis.
In 1897, from the solitude of his prison cell, Oscar Wilde poured his heart into a searing 50,000-word letter to his estranged lover Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas.
Blistering with anguish and fury, De Profundis is Wilde’s unfiltered outpouring of pain, betrayal, and self-revelation – a plea for truth, a meditation on art, and a journey toward forgiveness.
This powerful letter has echoed through time, brought to life in readings around the world by artists such as Patti Smith, Ralph Fiennes, Maxine Peake, Colm Tóibín, Ben Whishaw, and Neil Bartlett.
Now, in an intimate special event crafted with director Dino Dimitriadis and featuring a live cello accompaniment by Conrad Hamill, queer icon and national treasure Paul Capsis reads Wilde’s anthem for the right to love and live authentically, no matter the cost.
De Profundis
fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: 30 April – 4 May 2025
Information and Bookings: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com
Image: Paul Capsis – photo by Cameron Grant