Salome

Little Ones Theatre’s slick and flippant production of Oscar Wilde’s Salome is lively, loud, lighthearted and wickedly profane.  It’s an ‘in-your-face’ cabaret performance with loads of well-dressed and undressed ‘eye-candy’ and more than just a hint of Jean Genet.

Little Ones Theatre has made a fascinatingly provocative reworking of Wilde’s reworking of a Biblical Story.  

In their ‘take’ we are introduced to the concept of Salome as a beautiful desirable male Princess through the homosexual proclivities of The Young Syrian, played with forthright lascivious humor by Peter Paltos. However this is one of those examples where the universal swapping of gender roles detracts from the meanings intrinsic to the story, though it does not detract from the visual aspects of casting and set/costume design by Eugyeene Teh.  Most successful in playing against gender is Alexandra Aldrich who presents a pretty crazed Herod with aplomb. And Nick Pelomis as Herodias is fascinating to watch.

Salome is indeed beautiful and Paul Blenheim dances her dance of the seven veils with lithe elegance, but then curiously, vaguely and without intent, gloats over the dead body of the Baptist as if it means nothing to have had her cruel intent realized.

Some diligent research by Director Stephen Nicolazzo and Dramaturge Natalia Savvides is perhaps missing from the making of this work.  If my memory serves me adequately the flaw in Salome’s nature that turned her so sour on John the Baptist was her unyielding pride fueled by biting resentment at being rejected.  The reason for Salome’s destructive intent is not adequately explored here and therefore the reworking of the story doesn’t make complete sense. 

In all, Salome is a satisfying as a spectacle that is light on meaning – but is well work catching as a showcase of some of Melbourne’s youthful and courageous theatre making talent.  The tickets are only $25 each and it is on till 14 September.

Suzanne Sandow