Salome - 3rd April 2012

Earlier this year a silent film deservedly triumphed at the Oscars. For many years though, silent movies were generally ignored until 1980 when Carl Davis wrote and conducted the score for Abel Gance’s masterpiece “Napoleon”. Since then writing scores for previously forgotten classics have become more commonplace.

Welsh Jazz composer Charlie Barber has become a leader in this field and his current project is bringing Charles Bryant’s 1923 version of Oscar Wilde’s Salome to life. This was the brainchild of Russian actress Natacha Rambova who produced and played the title role.

Silent films are not always an easy watch for a modern audience with performances often seeming mannered. Obviously the lack of dialogue encourages actors to over-use facile & physical gesture in an attempt to convey emotion.

The subject matter also seems to encourage over-acting as they generally pick great dramatic events from the past. This biblical story was no different covering the imprisonment, beheading of John the Baptist, Salome’s death etc.

But,it is the music that helps to connect to a modern audience. Charlie Barber’s score , of Arabic connection engages with 4 mesmerising percussionists who combined perfectly to seduce the audience into becoming emotionally involved.

This was my first visit to the refurbished Sherman theatre and although I could see little change to the auditorium if this is the quality of production provided I shall return soon. “Clytemenestra” in fact