THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, Now Available to Watch at the New York Public Library

The acclaimed stage adaptation of THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, starring Australian actor Sarah Snook, is now available to view through the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. The recording offers theatre researchers, students, and approved viewers a rare opportunity to experience the groundbreaking production after its acclaimed stage run.

The archive, located at Lincoln Center, houses one of the most significant collections of filmed theatre in the world. Through its Theatre on Film and Tape (TOFT) programme, the library preserves recordings of important stage productions, making them available for educational and scholarly access. With the addition of THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, audiences are now able to study one of the most innovative solo performances to reach Broadway in recent years.

The production, directed and adapted by Australian theatre-maker Kip Williams, is based on Oscar Wilde’s classic 1890 novel. First developed for the Sydney Theatre Company in 2020, the show reimagines Wilde’s gothic tale through an ambitious fusion of theatre, cinema, and live digital technology.

Snook, best known internationally for her Emmy-winning performance as Shiv Roy in the HBO series Succession, delivers a remarkable tour-de-force performance in the production. In the stage adaptation she portrays all 26 characters from Wilde’s story, shifting rapidly between roles with the assistance of live cameras, digital projections, and meticulously choreographed costume transformations.

The story follows the enigmatic Dorian Gray, a young man whose extraordinary beauty inspires a portrait by artist Basil Hallward. Influenced by the cynical philosophy of Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian becomes obsessed with youth and pleasure. In a moment of vanity and desperation, he wishes that the portrait would age in his place. As the years pass, Dorian remains outwardly youthful while the painting absorbs the physical consequences of his moral corruption.

Williams’ theatrical adaptation amplifies these themes of identity, vanity, and performance by blending stagecraft with contemporary visual media. The production uses a network of cameras and screens to capture Snook in real time, projecting close-ups and prerecorded sequences that allow her to interact with multiple versions of herself. The result is a constantly shifting theatrical language that mirrors the novel’s exploration of duality and self-image.

Critics and audiences alike have praised the show for both its technical ambition and Snook’s extraordinary acting feat. The production requires the actor to navigate rapid character changes while maintaining a coherent narrative across a two-hour performance, often interacting simultaneously with live and filmed versions of herself.

Following its premiere in Sydney, the production went on to achieve major international success. A West End season in London earned widespread critical acclaim and saw Snook win the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. The show subsequently transferred to Broadway, where it opened at the Music Box Theatre and played a limited engagement following previews beginning in March 2025.

The Broadway run further cemented the production’s reputation as one of the most innovative theatrical works of the decade. Snook’s performance received multiple award nominations and ultimately won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, recognising the remarkable scale and precision of the solo performance.

Beyond Snook’s performance, the production’s creative team played a crucial role in shaping its distinctive visual style. Set and costume design were created by Marg Horwell, with lighting by Nick Schlieper, music and sound design by Clemence Williams, and video design by David Bergman. Together, the creative team crafted a staging that merges cinematic language with live performance, blurring the boundaries between theatre and film.

The show’s technological approach has also helped redefine what a one-person play can achieve. While Snook is the only performer on stage, she is supported by a team of camera operators who capture and manipulate live images throughout the performance, enabling the actor to inhabit multiple characters simultaneously on screen and on stage.

For theatre historians and students, the availability of the recording through the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive represents a significant opportunity. The TOFT collection has long served as a vital record of theatrical history, preserving landmark productions that might otherwise be lost once their stage runs conclude.

Although access to the archive is typically limited to researchers, educators, and approved viewers who make appointments at the library, the recording ensures that Williams’ adaptation of Wilde’s classic story can continue to be studied and appreciated long after its stage performances have ended.

With its blend of classic literature, innovative stagecraft, and a singular acting performance, THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY stands as one of the most striking theatrical achievements to emerge from Australia in recent years. Its preservation within the New York Public Library’s archive not only secures its place in theatre history but also allows future generations to witness the production’s inventive approach to storytelling.
For audiences wh

missed the show during its international runs, the archive recording now offers a rare chance to revisit a performance widely regarded as one of the defining theatrical events of the decade.