performed until 1896 in Paris,during Wilde's later incarceration.[92] Comedies of society Wilde,who had first set out to irritate Victoriansociety with his dress and talking points,thenoutrage it with Dorian Gray,his novel of vice hidden beneath art,finally founda way to critique 10 society on its own terms.Lady Windermere's Fan was first performed on 20 February 1892 at St James Theatre,packed with the cream of society.On the surface a witty comedy,there is subtle subversionunderneath:"it concludes with collusive concealment rather than collective disclosure".[93]The audience. like Lady Windermere,are forced to soften harshsocial codes in favour ofa more nuanced view.The play was enormously popular,touring the country for months,but largely thrashed by conservative critics.[94]It was followed by A Woman ofNo Importance in 1893,another Victorian comedy:revolving around the spectre ofillegitimate births,mistaken identitiesand late revelations.[95]Wilde was commissioned to write two more playsand An Ideal Husband,written in 1894,[96]followed in January 1895.[97]performed until 1896 in Paris, during Wilde's later incarceration.[92] Comedies of society Wilde, who had first set out to irritate Victorian society with his dress and talking points, then outrage it with Dorian Gray, his novel of vice hidden beneath art, finally found a way to critique society on its own terms. Lady Windermere's Fan was first performed on 20 February 1892 at St James Theatre, packed with the cream of society. On the surface a witty comedy, there is subtle subversion underneath: "it concludes with collusive concealment rather than collective disclosure".[93]The audience, like Lady Windermere, are forced to soften harsh social codes in favour of a more nuanced view. The play was enormously popular, touring the country for months, but largely thrashed by conservative critics.[94]It was followed by A Woman of No Importance in 1893, another Victorian comedy: revolving around the spectre of illegitimate births, mistaken identities and late revelations.[95]Wilde was commissioned to write two more plays and An Ideal Husband, written in 1894,[96]followed in January 1895.[97] 10’