Oscar Wilde's 'embryonic plot' for his final play up for auction

breakingnews.ie:

The first written record of what would become Oscar Wilde’s final play, The Importance Of Being Earnest, is going under the hammer.

The earliest plot summary for the play, his most enduringly popular, could fetch close to €167,000 (£150,000) at Sotheby’s books and manuscripts sale.

It was outlined in a handwritten letter by the wit and playwright to the impresario George Alexander, who would go on to produce the play.

Wilde penned the act-by-act summary of his new play in July 1894 when he was at the height of his success as a dramatist. However when the play opened, after many revisions, on  February 14th 1895, Wilde’s own life was spiralling out of control.