Owing to the play's subject matter it was never granted a licence by the Lord Chamberlain and could, therefore, only be staged in England at a theatre club where membership was required.
The play's first production at London's Gate Theatre Studio in 1936 starred Robert Morley as Wilde and was produced by Norman Marshall.
Later in New York in 1938, again with Morley in the title role, the play became a major award-winning success on Broadway at the Fulton Theatre where it opened on 10 October and ran for 247 performances, with Gladys Cooper's son, John Buckmaster, as Lord Alfred Douglas.
Coinciding with the Broadway production there was also a four-week revival in London at the Arts Theatre starring Francis L. Sullivan and produced by Ronald Adam, which opened on 25 October 1938.
The play was revived again at the Bolton's Theatre Club, starring Frank Pettingell and directed by Leslie Stokes, in 1948.