Read's Wilde play panned, closes

LONDON, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Former British disc jockey Mike Read's new musical about Oscar Wilde has flopped miserably.

Critics trashed the play after it opened Tuesday, describing it as "excruciating," "bilge" and "a musical of exquisite awfulness," Sky News reported Friday.

Only five of the 446 tickets available for the next night's show were sold, making it the fastest-closing London musical in recent memory.

"I am naturally devastated," said Read, who wrote, produced and directed the play. "We had a fantastic West End cast and the reaction of the audience at the press night was terrific."

Read, whose previous musical based on the songs of Cliff Richard was also panned by critics, recently finished work on his next project, a tribute to the Village People.