Whitman is on stage, asking the audience to identify with the prisoners and their plight.
Wilde appears in prison, in chains.
The prison governor, Isaacson, and Quinton, the prison doctor (portrayed by the dancer) appear.
Isaacson tells Wilde the rules of the institution.
Wilde is examined and made to dress in prison garb, taken to his cell, and given the crank which he is obliged to keep turning uselessly.
In another fantasy sequence, Wilde imagines that the doctor is Bosie, but when revealed, Bosie quickly vanishes.

Scene 2: The prison chapel
As the prisoners are about to sing a hymn, Wilde is seated.
Midway, the prison chaplain, approaches Wilde and insults him.
Trying to stand up, Wilde collapses and hits his head, which causes him to be taken to the infirmary.
The rebellious prisoners are subdued and returned to their cells.

Scene 3: The infirmary
Whitman advises Wilde to forget about the pain of the moment.
Wilde lies alongside two other prisoners.
One prisoner speaks kindly to Wilde, who is touched, as it is his first sympathetic human conduct since arriving in the gaol.
Martin, the warder (whom the first prisoner describes as "the only one who's human"), arrives to treat the patients.
Martin asks Wilde a few literary questions.
The two prisoners and Martin sing a music hall number, "Burlington Bertie", in which Wilde joins at the final lines.
After Martin leaves, the two prisoners discuss the plight of a convict to be hanged the next day for murder.

Scene 4: In the prison
The text for this scene comes from Wilde's The Ballad of Reading Gaol.
Whitman and Oscar act as observers and commentators, each on either side of the stage.
The prisoners recite lines from the Ballad, whilst Death (in the form of the Dancer) leads them to their lowest point of despair.
They then clear the space for preparations for the execution to begin.
The condemned prisoner and the prison officials enter and take their places: the Dancer becomes the executioner, the 8 o'clock bell sounds, the lever is pulled, Death appears beside the gallows, and Wilde is alone on stage with the final words.

Scene 5: The prison's visiting room
Harris has arrived with good news for Wilde, whom Martin brings in.
Harris' advocacy through his newspaper has resulted in the replacement of Isaacson and Wilde being allowed to have books and writing materials, as well as work in the prison garden rather than the punishment of the cranking.
Wilde vows that he has learned one thing: pity.
Suddenly Isaacson enters, and angrily expresses his desire to break Wilde completely.
Wilde is taken back to his cell, and Martin then escorts Frank from the gaol.

Scene 6: The prison garden
Leverson is brought into the garden to see Wilde, who is taken aback and can only kiss her hand.
She expresses joy that he will be free in three days, and he says that Harris has made arrangements.
However, she tells him that the Jesuits have rejected him, and Leverson implies that she will take care of him.
As Martin escorts Leverson out, Bosie appears upstage and dances towards Oscar, who reads from his 1881 poem, "Glukupikros Eros": "Sweet, I blame you not, for mine the fault was, had I not been made of common clay..." They embrace.

Epilogue: Immortality
A group of the Immortals calls out to Wilde as he and Bosie say farewell.
Bosie leaves, and Whitman sings words from Leaves of Grass.
Wilde then crosses the threshold of the House of Fame, where Whitman presents "Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde" to the Immortals.
Wilde addresses the Immortals and the audience with a line from his first play Vera; or, The Nihilists:
"For myself, the only immortality I desire is to invent a new sauce."
Whitman is on stage, asking the audience to identify with the prisoners and their plight. Wilde appears in prison, in chains. The prison governor, Isaacson, and Quinton, the prison doctor (portrayed by the dancer) appear. Isaacson tells Wilde the rules of the institution. Wilde is examined and made to dress in prison garb, taken to his cell, and given the crank which he is obliged to keep turning uselessly. In another fantasy sequence, Wilde imagines that the doctor is Bosie, but when revealed, Bosie quickly vanishes.
Scene 2: The prison chapel
As the prisoners are about to sing a hymn, Wilde is seated. Midway, the prison chaplain, approaches Wilde and insults him. Trying to stand up, Wilde collapses and hits his head, which causes him to be taken to the infirmary. The rebellious prisoners are subdued and returned to their cells.
Scene 3: The infirmary
Whitman advises Wilde to forget about the pain of the moment. Wilde lies alongside two other prisoners. One prisoner speaks kindly to Wilde, who is touched, as it is his first sympathetic human conduct since arriving in the gaol. Martin, the warder (whom the first prisoner describes as "the only one who's human"), arrives to treat the patients. Martin asks Wilde a few literary questions. The two prisoners and Martin sing a music hall number, "Burlington Bertie", in which Wilde joins at the final lines. After Martin leaves, the two prisoners discuss the plight of a convict to be hanged the next day for murder.
Scene 4: In the prison
The text for this scene comes from Wilde's The Ballad of Reading Gaol. Whitman and Oscar act as observers and commentators, each on either side of the stage. The prisoners recite lines from the Ballad, whilst Death (in the form of the Dancer) leads them to their lowest point of despair. They then clear the space for preparations for the execution to begin. The condemned prisoner and the prison officials enter and take their places: the Dancer becomes the executioner, the 8 o'clock bell sounds, the lever is pulled, Death appears beside the gallows, and Wilde is alone on stage with the final words.
Scene 5: The prison's visiting room
Harris has arrived with good news for Wilde, whom Martin brings in. Harris' advocacy through his newspaper has resulted in the replacement of Isaacson and Wilde being allowed to have books and writing materials, as well as work in the prison garden rather than the punishment of the cranking. Wilde vows that he has learned one thing: pity. Suddenly Isaacson enters, and angrily expresses his desire to break Wilde completely. Wilde is taken back to his cell, and Martin then escorts Frank from the gaol.
Scene 6: The prison garden
Leverson is brought into the garden to see Wilde, who is taken aback and can only kiss her hand. She expresses joy that he will be free in three days, and he says that Harris has made arrangements. However, she tells him that the Jesuits have rejected him, and Leverson implies that she will take care of him. As Martin escorts Leverson out, Bosie appears upstage and dances towards Oscar, who reads from his 1881 poem, "Glukupikros Eros": "Sweet, I blame you not, for mine the fault was, had I not been made of common clay..." They embrace.
Epilogue: Immortality
A group of the Immortals calls out to Wilde as he and Bosie say farewell. Bosie leaves, and Whitman sings words from Leaves of Grass. Wilde then crosses the threshold of the House of Fame, where Whitman presents "Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde" to the Immortals. Wilde addresses the Immortals and the audience with a line from his first play Vera; or, The Nihilists:
"For myself, the only immortality I desire is to invent a new sauce."
Oscar (opera)