Salomé
Oscar Wilde
A radical departure from his comedies, this decadent tragedy is a poetic retelling of the biblical story of Salomé and John the Baptist (Iokanaan). Infatuated with the prophet who has rejected her, Salomé performs the Dance of the Seven Veils for her stepfather, King Herod, demanding the prophet’s head as her reward. The play explores themes of obsession, lust, and the destructive nature of desire. Originally written in French, its lush, symbolic language and disturbing imagery made it highly controversial. It remains one of Wilde's most powerful works, famously prohibited from performance in England for decades due to its biblical subject matter.
Salomé: A beautiful, obsessive princess whose unrequited lust for the holy prophet leads her to commit a grotesque act of vengeance to satisfy her dark desires. King Herod: A fearful, lustful monarch who is trapped by his own promises and haunted by omens, eventually witnessing the tragic consequences of his own indulgence. Iokanaan (John the Baptist): An austere, incorruptible prophet whose vocal condemnation of the court’s morality triggers Salomé’s deadly fascination and ultimately leads to his own martyrdom.
First Performance: 1931, at Savoy Theatre, London (Public Premiere)
Banned by the Lord Chamberlain in 1892; first public UK performance was not until 1931.
Original Actors: Robert Farquharson, Joan Maude