Sarisbury Theatre Company, Sarisbury Community Centre.

HAD the period style and flair of the Aubrey Beardsley illustration on the front of the programme translated itself onto the stage, this would have been a totally different evening.

As it was, Oscar Wilde's most famous satire was visible only at fleeting moments in an under-researched production that paid little or no attention to detail, further handicapping itself with poor movement and diction.

The success of this best-known of all comedies of manners depends throughout on its many Wildean epigrams being delivered in perfect period style, in correct period costume on believable period sets; sadly the production fell short in almost every respect, with only one or two of the characters approaching the dramatic style their roles demanded.

As John Worthing, the play's protagonist, Steve Roberts went close to striking the right balance of respectability and duplicity, while Tasha Hutchings best caught the feel of the play as his ward Cecily.