Vera Bad!!!

Reviews of the first production of Oscar Wilde's Vera; or, The Nihilists

By: Rob Marland (Editor)

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Paperback | 3 August 2026

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156 Pages

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23.39 x 15.6 x 0.84

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A complete collection of reviews and other first-hand accounts of the first production of Oscar Wilde's Vera; or, The Nihilists.

Wilde's first play, a melodramatic tragedy set in Tsarist Russia, flopped when staged in New York in 1883. The Herald critic declared it 'long-drawn dramatic rot'; the Times, 'unreal, long-winded, and wearisome'; and the Tribune, 'bantam gabble'.

Reception studies of Vera have relied on the most prominent reviews, giving the impression that little else was written about the play. In fact, more than fifty reviews and other first-hand accounts were printed in the days and weeks after the premiere.

This volume gathers together all known reviews and first-hand accounts for the first time. It includes extensive notes that elucidate obscure references and document variants between articles published in multiple newspapers.

Rob Marland is the author of Oscar Wilde's First Tragedy: The Composition, Production, and Reception of Vera; or, The Nihilists (2026) and the editor of Vera; or, The Nihilists: A Critical Edition of Oscar Wilde's First Play (2026).

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