Oscar Wilde 
Vera; or, The Nihilists 

While Wilde might be better known for acidic and satirical comedies, such as ‚The Importance of being Earnest, ‚ and ‚Lay Windemere’s Fan, ‚ his first outing as a playwright was in the realms of tragedy. Set in Russia, ‚Vera; or, The Nihilists‘ follows the eponymous Vera on her journey from barmaid, to joining terrorist group, ‚The Nihilists, ‚ and becoming their top assassin. Inspired by real-life events, Wilde’s play explores the idea that full commitment to an ideology can dehumanise almost anyone. While considered a tragedy, and with more than a whiff of Shakespeare’s ‚Macbeth‘ about it, ‚Vera; or, The Nihilists‘ is peppered with the playwright’s trademark wit and caustic cynicism. A superb read for those who enjoyed the TV-Series ‚Killing Eve‘ starring Jodie Comer and want to see how it all began for one of the 19th Century’s most famous – and infamous – writers.-