Oscar wilde royal shakespeare company swan theatre, stratforduponavon 8 june to 6 september 2017. Marking 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality, owen wanted to direct this play that was written by oscar wilde, in a time where people were. The play tells in one act the biblical story of salome, stepdaughter of the tetrarch. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee support for browsers with javascript disabled, you may experience some difficulties using this website. A new production of oscar wildes lyrical oneact drama which was originally banned in britain. Originally banned in britain, this new production, performed with an almost all male cast, explores sexual ambiguity in the contemporary world. Oscar wilde 18541900 was an irish writer and poet who became one of londons most popular playwrights in the early 1890s. Salome oscar wilde directed by owen horsley for rsc. Pacino takes us on a journey as he unravels and reinterprets oscar wilde s once banned and most controversial work salome, a scintillating tale of lust, greed and one womans scorn.
Jun 09, 2017 and now, clambering out of a pit, comes the rippling, grimy, scantily clad figure of gavin fowlers john the baptist in a fresh revival of oscar wildes versedrama salome. But even this isnt quite the version wilde imagined, although hed probably have enjoyed watching it for a couple of reasons. Matthew tennyson will play salome in the rscs upcoming production. It could be a controversial casting move taking away an alltoorare female lead from an actress but director owen horsleys production has a celebratory narrative of its own. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. A summary of oscar wilde s tragedy, which tells the biblical story of salome, first published in 1891 in french.
Director owen horsley said he felt wilde was writing the story from his own experience as a gay man, which has in turn shaped horsleys tone and casting for this bold version. Oscar wilde s play salome is a twist on the execution of john the baptist, fuelled by motives of lust and slaughter. Jul 22, 2019 hello everyone and welcome back to another edition of monologue monday. Salome, that dancing seductress who demanded the head of john the baptist, has been reclaimed by yael farber in this new feminist interpretation the rsc stages oscar wildes more familiar take. Im stealing the plot of 1891s salome from the rsc website. A sexually ambiguous version of oscar wildes salome with matthew tennyson playing the female lead. The 2017 production of oscar wildes lyrical oneact drama revelled in the beauty. Hello everyone and welcome back to another edition of monologue monday. While owen horsleys much livelier rsc version goes back to oscar wildes text, it uses it to explore, according to the programme, the complex issue of what it means to be gay today. The poetic oneact drama is being recreated with sexual ambiguity at the core. Aug 22, 2017 the words of the play are beautifully poetic and evocative.
Sex, death, and gender fluidity in wildes salome at. The story of salome was prominent in both literature and the visual arts until the end of the renaissance, and was revived in the nineteenth century by heinrich herne, and explored by such divergent authors as gustave flaubert, stephane mallarme, joriskaril huysmans, and oscar wilde. Wilde s salome has often been made into a film, notably a 1923 silent film, salome, starring alla nazimova in the title role and a 1988 ken russell playwithinafilm treatment, salome s last dance, which also includes wilde and lord alfred douglas as characters. Salome, daughter of herodias the slaves of salome scene a great terrace in the palace of herod, set above the banquetinghall. With matthew tenyson playing the biblical princess salome, in a dress and pink stilettoes, the play according to horsley sets out to tackle the complex issue of what it means to be gay today. It could be a controversial casting move taking away an alltoorare female lead from an actress but.
It was a staggering, raw, and unique portrayal of not just one, but two stories with its own contemporary nuance. Production photos salome royal shakespeare company. As yael farbers reimagining of salome plays at the national theatre, the royal shakespeare company opens their production of oscar wildes 1881 version. Marking 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in england and wales the rsc present a contemporary take on oscar wildes classic, placing sexual ambiguity at the core, with.
Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Oscar wildes salome isnt exactly a popular play, but for some reason in 2017 both the national and the rsc have decided to stage it. This rather solomn and sombre play, told in verse, is the biblical story of salome shown left, in the list of pictures plate, a. I was chaste, and thou didst fill my veins with fire. Salome 1922 broadway tickets, news, info, photos, videos. Isaac james, rsc while yael farber offers a ritualistic feminist reading of salome at the national theatre, owen horsleys new gay version of oscar wildes 1894 play for the rsc marks 50 years since the. Its about exploring the male and female that everyone. But tonight in owen horsleys production of oscar wildes most serious play, this intoxication is taken a step further. In wilde salome, it is his endearing passion for oscar wilde and his play. Salome is a tragic play written by oscar wilde, which tells the biblical story of salome.
May 20, 2017 see our first oscar wilde play in stratforduponavon this summer. Yet in a new production of oscar wilde s 1891 play at the rsc, salome is to be played by a man. See our first oscar wilde play in stratforduponavon this summer. Oscar wildes 1891 symbolist tragedy salome has had a rich afterlife in literature, opera, dance, film, and popular culture. One thing i can say is that at least the productions are completely different. But theres another somewhat more significant event about to mark its very own half century. Oscar wildes lyrical oneact drama originally banned in britain reinvents salome as a powerful and enigmatic figure, both erotic and chaste.
When she is compelled by herod to dance, salome is filled with lustdriven revenge and demands the head of the prophet as payment. To give it the further usual string of adjectives it was a sensuous, gory, glittering, horrible, thoroughly. Salome plays in the swan theatre, stratforduponavon until 6 september 2017. Sex, death, and gender fluidity in wildes salome at royal. And now, clambering out of a pit, comes the rippling, grimy, scantily clad figure of gavin fowlers john the baptist in a fresh revival of oscar wildes versedrama salome. Jun 11, 2017 while owen horsleys much livelier rsc version goes back to oscar wildes text, it uses it to explore, according to the programme, the complex issue of what it means to be gay today. Jul 26, 2017 heres a short snippet from our 2017 production of salome. Oscar wildes play salome is a twist on the execution of john the baptist, fuelled by motives of lust and slaughter.
Scholar tania albin believes wilde s interpretation is deeply rooted in the biblical story of salomes dance to please herod and her mothers plea for john the baptists head. While owen horsleys much livelier rsc version goes back to oscar wilde s text, it uses it to explore, according to the programme, the complex issue of what it means to be gay today. The roses in the garden of the queen of arabia are not so white as thy body. In salome its jessica chastains magnetic, transcendent, terrifying performance. Thy body is white like the snows that lie on the mountains of judaea, and come down into the valleys. To the right there is a gigantic staircase, to the left, at the back, an old cistern surrounded by a wall of green bronze. Matthew tenyson as salome was actually for me a really interesting character and person to watch, and didnt feel irreverential to the text. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The atlanta opera will launch the new year with a new mainstage production of salome, richard strausss still unsettling 1905 take on oscar wildes twisted biblical tale of incest, seduction and. I was a virgin and thou didst take my virginity from me.
While owen horsleys much livelier rsc version goes back to oscar wildes text, it uses it to explore, according to the programme, the. Salome by oscar wilde free ebook project gutenberg. Yet in a new production of oscar wildes 1891 play at the rsc, salome is to be played. See pictures of salome in performance our first production of oscar wilde s play. You might be wondering why wilde goes to such lengths to associate salome with the moon. Salome by oscar wilde directed by owen horsley designed by bretta greece music perfume genius royal shakespeare company swan. Thy body is white, like the lilies of a field that the mower hath never mowed. Salome has always been a play intoxicated with its own mystery. Identified as oscar wildes most provocative play, it is written in verse form with lyrical language which creates a powerful piece of theatre. At some point, when i can uncover the complete oscar wilde book and a. Salome by oscar wilde is booking in repertory until the 6th of september at the swan theatre, stratforduponavon. Petra dierkesthrun, stanford university oscar wildes salome.
Wilde wrote salome in french in 1893 for the famous actress. Scholar tania albin believes wildes interpretation is deeply rooted in the biblical story of salomes dance to please herod and her mothers plea for john the baptists head. Rsc will mark 50 years of gay decriminalisation with oscar. My partner came out of the theatre saying he didnt understand the point of salome being played by a man. Context 1891 salome french 1892 lady windermeres fan 1892 the english theatrical censor bans the play from public performance as rehearsals were in full swing with sarah bernhardt in london in june of 1892. Part of my 30 goals to complete over the next two years involves going to see a play at the royal shakespeare theatre. Salome is the princess of judaea, daughter of queen herodias, stepdaughter to king herod. Sometimes i wonder if the big theatres actually talk to each other. Considered an eccentric, he was the leader of the aesthetic movement that advocated art for arts sake and was once imprisoned for two years with hard labor for homosexual practices. The original 1891 version of the play was in french. Marking 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in england and wales the rsc present a contemporary take on oscar wildes classic, placing sexual ambiguity at the core, with music by american artist perfume genius.
Heres a short snippet from our 2017 production of salome. Salome in this silent version of the salome story wilde gets a writers credit. A summary of oscar wildes tragedy, which tells the biblical story of salome, first published in 1891 in french. Staged to mark 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in england and wales, the royal shakespeare company is staging oscar wildes lyrical oneact play. Oscar wilde and the aesthetics of transgression is the first comprehensive scholarly exploration of that extraordinary resonance that persists to the present.
The cast of salome give a summary of the story of oscar wildes play. Salome oscar wilde wilde, oscar 18541900 an irishborn english poet, novelist, and playwright. Yet in a new production of oscar wildes 1891 play at the rsc, salome is to be played by a man. Salome has fascinated and inspired artists across the ages. Wilde salome only offers a very basic look into wildes life, and the staging of salome is distinctly uninspired.
In the event, i am not certain that this casting really illuminates the. The title role is played by the russian actress nazimova. At some point, when i can uncover the complete oscar wilde book and a bible from my piles of books, id like to go back to the sources and reflect on how wilde draws from the bible and how owen horsley draws on both for his production. This famous biblical tale of salome by oscar wilde gets a reworking at the rscs swan theatre in stratford upon avon, near birmingham, until september 6. It is 50 years since the sexual offences act decriminalised homosexual acts between consenting men in private, so it is little surprise that the rsc, which of late has become something of a laboratory of gender identity, should celebrate that anniversary with a distinctively gay. Scene from the show salome royal shakespeare company. Three years later an english translation was published. Oscar wilde 18541900 became familiar with these ideas in the course of his stays in paris, in particular through his exposure to the works of the flemish playwright maurice maeterlinck 18621949, who had created a stir with plays notable for their dreamlike qualities and relative lack of action. Illustrating death and desire february 7, 2015 may 10, 2015. Yes, it features a performance of salomebut the performance is in a brotheland oscar wilde and lord alfred douglas are in the audience.
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