Premiering just two decades after decriminalisation and less than a year after marriage equality, Brian Merriman’s Wretched Little Brat marks a dramatic shift in Irish attitudes toward homosexuality. In a recent interview with Dublin Inquirer, the founder of Dublin’s Gay Theatre Festival remarks how years ago, straight performers balked at the idea of taking on queer characters. Reflecting on the eclectic makeup of his cast, Merriman notes that now ‘they’re delighted to play gay roles’. Wretched Little Brat explores an area central to 20th-century homosexuality, and Merriman’s own fascinations: the life and lovers of the flamboyant Oscar Wilde. While innovative…