Salome is the story of a Judean king’s unmarried stepdaughter agreeing to perform a taboo-breaking dance for her mother’s husband in return of the head of a prophet who has not only defamed her family but further refused her approaches. It is a dance in return for a life, an arousing, risky danse macabre on which her and her mother’s honour and survival depend. Too late, this princess will learn that a king’s oath does not protect her from the gory decadence and merciless ego of ruling despots in all their power, cruelty and fragility.
Out on the Haymarket a long queue leads inside the stunningly beautiful Theatre Royal Haymarket which has one of London‘s most impressive West End façades. There is an exciting array of various languages to discover and identify while security gladly takes its job seriously. On our rush to the toilets we miss a trip to the bar but you need to set priorities before a 90 minute performance without interval – a theatre trend I absolutely welcome and embrace in regards of journeys home on public transport.
Salome was initially written for 18th century stage legend Sarah Bernhardt, herself undeniable immortal through the artworks of Alphonse Muncha, but the illustrations accompany the first edition from 1894 by Aubrey Beardsley were at least as iconic and groundbreaking for the advent of modernity, and are still respected and admired for exactly that. I rarely recommend picking up a play’s program so strongly – this one is a keeper, starting with the venue’s 300+ year history and how theatre’s in London were governed back then, moving to the very international biographies of the Israeli Gesher Theatre group and their productions, then shares fascinating details of both Salome’s historic and biblical backgrounds, the era, surroundings and key figures of the play’s writing (1891), first stagings (Paris in 1896, London in 1906), translations and most popular adaptations through the decades, all spiced with excepts of Oscar Wilde‘s own flamboyant and tragic life, an unapologetic ambassador of aesthetics, decades if not centuries ahead of its time, who also paid a high price for challenging authorities.
Oscar Wilde avoided the characters well-established names and titles like Herod and John the Baptist from Mark’s and Matthew’s gospels in the New Testament for several reasons (putting biblical stories on stage was forbidden on British stages at some point) – my personal associations during the watch have a tendency towards recent Bulgakov re-reads, and I feel assured that I am not completely off topic when discovering that director Maxim Didenko has Heart Of A Dog in his credits.
Apparently the spirit of a former theatre manager haunts the grandeur of this majestic theatre but only appears during successful productions. As haunting as the actions on stage are, I have not seen any ghosts tonight but I am glad I saw this production. And thank the actor of a soldier showing a humble peace sign at the curtain call. In these time, that really meant a lot.
**** out of 5 stars
Salome by Oscar Wilde (directed by Maxim Didenko and performed by Gesher Theatre) runs at the Theatre Royal Haymarket until 11 October
Tickets from £25
Sadie takes the Stage 