Salome: Production at the New Venture Theatre

“Prepare for the Seven Veils Dance – a beautiful visceral spectacle – not to be missed.” Salome – a name on everyone’s tongue - a woman whose life is determined by the decisions of the male court and indeed her father –Herold. A classic tale, with a dark undercurrent of misogyny, SALOME is one of Oscar Wilde’s most famous stories, translated by Lord Alfred Douglas. The premise of this adaptation is determined by the male court, a united choral voice that is present throughout the piece – which is ‘interrupted’ with new information in the story to highlight women’s fears of death. This exposes Wilde’s language of ‘sacrifice’ and the idea that women are dying, but the real reason for this is unknown.

This adaptation begins at a banquet, a celebration – which quickly transcends into tragedy, through choral entities, acapella singing and physical theatre – using movement to give power to Ssalome's decision to go through with the ‘Seven Veils Dance.’ The women in this story are forced to be divided, as it becomes clear that Herodias (mother to SALOME) can no longer protect her daughter from her husband’s lustful stare. This story is haunting, as we see Salome struggling to find a voice, a way out – until her meeting with Jokanaan. Jokanaan is imprisoned by Herod, but is he indeed a prophet – as they say – or a curse? This encounter will be the end of her life as she knows it, or indeed the end of her life as she planned it.