The Wicked World The Wicked World The Wicked World is a blank verse play by W. S. Gilbert in three acts. It opened at the Haymarket Theatre on 1873 and ran for a successful 145 performances, closing on 1873. The play is an allegory loosely based on a short illustrated story of the same title by Gilbert, written in 1871 and published in Tom Hood's "Comic Annual", about how pure fairies cope with a sudden introduction to them of "mortal love." Set in "Fairy Land", the action occurs within the space of 24 hours. Gilbert envisioned the set as resembling John Martin's 1853
Theatre Royal Haymarket S. Leigh and Arthur Sketchley). Gilbert followed this with a number of his blank verse "fairy comedies", the first of which was "The Palace of Truth" (1870), produced by Buckstone. These starred William Hunter Kendal and his wife Madge Robertson Kendal and also included "Pygmalion and Galatea" (1871), and "The Wicked World" (1873). Gilbert also produced here his dramas, "Charity" (1874), "Dan'l Druce, Blacksmith" (1876), and his most famous play outside of his Savoy Operas, "Engaged", an 1877 farce. Buckstone's ghost has reportedly often been seen at the theatre, particularly during comedies and "when he appreciates things" playing there. In