YORK company Baron Productions will stage Oscar Wilde's The Picture Of Dorian Gray at Upstage Theatre, 41 Monkgate, York from September 14 to 17.

Baron Productions was formed by York actor Daniel Wilmot last year to produce and direct Olivia Newton's swashbuckling comedy-drama Crossed Swords. "Now we're back at Upstage with a newly written stage adaptation of Wilde's 1890 philosophical novel, penned by my sister, Heather Wilmot, and directed by Alison Morgan," says Daniel.

Heather graduated from the University of York in 2011 with a First in her Writing, Directing and Performance BA and now lives in London. Her previous work includes the full-length play Howling Moon, her story of a girl struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome, which was performed in York and at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Alison Morgan is the founder of Infinite Riches Acting Company, the associate company for this summer's production. Among her past works are the one-act plays Last Awake and Lucky 6, both of which were showcased at Upstage in March this year. The latter has just finished an Edinburgh Fringe run at the Spotlite Theatre.

"With Dorian Gray, Alison and I wanted to keep the spirit of the original novel as much as we could, so we've gone for a pretty faithful adaptation, set in the Victorian period, and this is why, among other cast members, we've got Lisa Valentine playing a narrator, so we can retain a substantial amount of Wilde's dialogue."

York Press:

In the picture: Daniel Wilmot's Dorian Gray. Picture: Roger Pattison

In The Picture Of Dorian Gray, the charming Lord Henry Wotton tells the young and naive Dorian Gray, "There is absolutely nothing in this world but youth", as he is about to see his splendid portrait for the first time. In a mad moment of passion, Dorian makes a wish in front of the portrait: what if the portrait could age instead of him? Could he keep his precious youth and stay beautiful forever?

Sometimes wishes come true, but sometimes they come true with a price, and as Dorian's taste for wild pleasure and vice becomes darker, so does the horror he sees creeping across the canvas. What if this portrait actually contains his soul, and if that soul becomes ugly, damaged and evil, what then? What hideous terrors would the world see if they gazed on the picture of Dorian Gray?

Daniel Wilmot will play Dorian Gray; Paul Toy, the unfortunate artist Basil Hallward, who paints the picture; Lee Gemmell, Lord Henry Wotton, Dorian's unscrupulous mentor, and Raffy Parker, Dorian's love interest, Sybil Vane, and his mother, Margaret Devereux.

Further roles go to Richard Thirlwall as Sybil's brother, James Vane, and Alan Campbell, Dorian's scientific companion; Sam Valentine as Lord Kelso, Dorian's abusive grandfather, and Tim McDermott as the unfortunate Adrian Singleton, who falls foul of Dorian's hedonistic lifestyle.

Tickets for the 7.30pm evening performances and 2.30pm Saturday matinee are on sale at ticketsource.co.uk/baron-productions or on the door. The play is suitable for ages 12 and over.