REVIEW: 1918: The Final Salomé

1918: The Last Salome is a historical play in English, produced by Carfax Productions, with Lily Zhang serving as the play’s writer, director, and producer. The play centres on several key figures: Maud Allan, Robbie Ross, Bosie, Vyvyan Holland, Noel Pemberton-Billing, and Oscar Wilde.

The story is set against the backdrop of the ‘Salome’ affair involving Maud Allan in 1918. The original play Salome was written by Oscar Wilde in 1891; by the time the trial erupted in 1918, Wilde had already passed away. However, at that time, Salome was accused of propagating homosexual ideas and corrupting the nation. The play’s protagonist—Robert Ross, Wilde’s former lover and literary executor—steps forward to defend Wilde and his work. Interestingly, this is not a historical drama but an original play set against this historical backdrop. In other words, the script incorporates a significant degree of artistic licence in its characterisation, based on the characters’ personal perspectives. It is worth noting that, unlike many plays about Wilde, this production focuses on the character of Robert Ross.

In the play, Ross devotes almost his entire life to Wilde and his works, defending him at all costs. Yet, is this driven by love, or is he trapped by an obsession? I believe this is precisely the most important question the play poses to the audience. Another character in the play, Bosie, possesses a personality that is the polar opposite of Ross’s. Bosie was one of Wilde’s most famous lovers, and also a key figure in the events that led to Wilde’s infamous libel trial. He condemns Wilde and questions Ross’s choices. Yet, however opposed they may appear, both Ross and Bosie are deeply ensnared in the shadow cast by Wilde. I believe the author has portrayed the character of Wilde extremely successfully. Like a ghost, Wilde is gradually pieced together into a three-dimensional figure through the descriptions in the dialogue of the various characters.

The set design for this play is relatively minimalist, yet highly ingenious. In particular, the long strips of letters stuck together are exceptionally effective in helping to shape Ross’s character. Peregrine Neger, who plays Ross, delivers a brilliant performance. Towards the end, when Ross delivers his inner monologue, many members of the audience were deeply moved and moved to tears. The performances of the other actors were equally outstanding, with each character portrayed in minute detail. The play features strong dramatic conflict, and the humorous delivery of the dialogue in the first half effectively captured the audience’s attention from the very beginning, sparking their interest in watching on.

However, the script suffers from a fatal flaw. In an attempt to create a multi-dimensional portrait of Oscar Wilde through different perspectives, it introduces too many subplots. I believe that the inclusion of Vyvyan Holland, representing the son’s perspective, does indeed help to establish a third viewpoint. However, the subplot involving Maud Allan is not adequately resolved. This leaves the audience feeling disoriented by the disjointed narrative. Furthermore, whilst the play is titled 1918: The Last Salome, the vague handling of the Maud Allan subplot weakens the connection between the play and its title. Had it been established earlier that the script would focus on the tangled web of love and hatred between Ross, Bosie, and Wilde, this title would have seemed rather inappropriate.

Overall, the play remains highly recommended. It explores human nature, love and the self, as well as control and submission. It opens up new perspectives on the many plays centred on Wilde, whilst also prompting the audience to reflect anew on these historical figures.

★★★★

For more information, please visit: https://carfaxproductions.co.uk/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAdGRleAUBt5FwZG9mAmZkaWQWUNg_Qks2cIkCpGh-C591oPM2j2E9FWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp73Ygs9m7putpkHj-d-DG8N_gcY2V6QnFTZ8gShWp87A-xH038UD_p3KIa1m_aem_4cjl5luadGIQ5sYdbRhcPg

Creative Team

Written, Directed & Produced: Lily Zhang
Assistant Director & Marketing: Rowena Sears
Assistant Director: Annabelle Higgins
Marketing: Helen Matthews
Lighting Designer: Chris Douglas
Lighting: Lucy Findlay
Assistant Producer: Théo Wang

Cast

Peregrine Neger: Robert “Robbie” Ross
George Loynes: Vyvyan Holland
Annabelle Higgins: Maud Allan
Ren Stefanacci: Lord Alfred “Bosie” Douglas
Charlie Lewis: Noel Pemberton-Billing
Rowena Sears: Maud Allan (Understudy)

©️1918: The Final Salomé

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