Theatre / 55 min / £8(£7) / 12+
Showing @ theSpace on the Mile, 6-18 Aug, 18:10
There’s little more frustrating than potential that doesn’t live up to expectations. That is exactly Kronos Stage’s problem in their production of Salome, Oscar Wilde’s biblical tragedy. The play opens with modern squaddies in camp, suggesting an interesting new slant on the classic. Unfortunately, this is as far as the concept goes; what follows is a lacklustre recitation of the text. Given current events in the Middle East, Kronos Stage are on the right lines but fail to take advantage of the themes. A superpower backed despot for example, or religious tension. Wilde’s dialogue, perfect as it is, can also be difficult to deliver in a contemporary context. Here, the company treat it with so much reverence that they never really bend it to their will. Lots of promise, with little return.
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