Salome Tickets - London
The first co-production from the Theatre Royal Haymarket and Gesher Theatre.
Oscar Wilde's play, Salome initially caused a scandal before becoming a worldwide cultural classic. Richard Strauss's opera is still regularly performed all over the world.
For hundreds of years, Salome has intrigued the minds and captured the hearts of outstanding artists, writers, and composers. But who is she?
A small, naive little girl who accidentally became a plaything of history? A petulant, angry young teen, protesting the hypocrisy and vulgarity of the world? A ruthless, bloodthirsty seductress with an insatiable lust for power?
Salome is an enigma. Her story sparked a tradition in the European artistic culture and the fabled Jewish princess continues to thrill and capture the imagination of our contemporaries.
The story is simple -
The marriage between King Herod Antipas and his daughter-in-law Herodias is deemed unacceptable in Judaism and has ignited the wrath of John the Baptist. Herod throws John into prison to silence him. Not satisfied with this, his wife asks him to put the insolent man to death. Herodias soon has a convenient opportunity during her husband's birthday celebrations at the fortress of Macheron. Many important guests, “the high officers" are invited to the lavish celebration. Among their number is Salome - Herodias' daughter - who attracts the attention of everyone with her bold manners and appearance. Herodias sends her daughter to seduce Herod with a performance of "The Dance of the Seven Veils". Herod is mesmerised and willing to grant her any request. On the orders of her mother, Salome asks for John the Baptist's head on a silver platter...
Performed in English with Hebrew and Russian subtitles. Directed by Maxim Didenko.