Arsalan Sattari Dom Corfield

By Oscar Wilde  

Director Production Manager

About the play  Salomé   is   a   tragedy  by  Oscar  Wilde.   The  original   1891   version  of   the   play  was   in   French.  Three  years  later  an  English  translation  was  published.  The  play  tells  in  one  act  the  Biblical  story   of   Salome,   stepdaughter   of   the   tetrarch   Herod   Antipas,   who,   to   her   stepfather's  dismay  but  to  the  delight  of  her  mother  Herodias,  requests  the  head  of  Jokanaan  (John  the  Baptist)  on  a  silver  platter  as  a  reward  for  dancing  the  dance  of  the  seven  veils.  

The Show

Wilde  wrote   Salome   in   French   in   1891,   but   the   play  was   not   produced   for   five   years.   In  1892,  rehearsals  for  the  play's  first  planned  production  began,  but  they  were  halted  when  the   licenser  of  plays  for  the  Lord  Chamberlain,  the  British  government  official   in  charge  of  theater   censorship,   banned   Salome,   ostensibly   because   of   an   old   law   forbidding   the  depiction   of   Biblical   characters   onstage   but   probably   also   because   of   the   play's   focus   on  sexual   passion.   Wilde   was   so   upset   by   Salome's   censorship   that   he   threatened   to   leave  England  and  live  in  France,  where  he  would  be  granted  more  artistic  freedom.    Salomé,  like  most  of  Oscar  Wilde's  plays,  is  a  rich  and  ornate  picture:  it  was  written  for  the  purpose  of  displaying  its  neat  and  well-­‐balanced  plot,  for  the  sheer  pleasure  to  be  derived  from  its  esthetic  appeal.  The  stage-­‐directions  offer  the  reader  something  of  what  is  put  into  the  production.  The  gorgeous  and   figured  style  of   the  dialogue   is   the  work  of  a  poet  who  plays  with  words.   In   the   original   the   style   is   something   of   a   patch-­‐work:   there   are  many  speeches  reminiscent  of  Maeterlinck's  early  manner,  and  occasional  snatches  of  Baudelaire  and   Flaubert.   The   play   is,   however,   remarkable   for   its   well-­‐handled   plot:   it   is   thoroughly  dramatic  and  holds  the  attention  of  the  audience  to  the  end.      

Cast -­‐  HEROD  ANTIPAS  -­‐  TETRARCH  OF  JUD  -­‐  IOKANAAN  -­‐  THE  PROPHET      -­‐  HERODIAS,  WIFE  OF  THE  TETRARCH      -­‐  SALOME,  DAUGHTER  OF  HERODIAS      

 Ensumble:  

-­‐  FIRST  SOLDIER      -­‐  SECOND  SOLDIER      -­‐  THE  YOUNG  SYRIAN  -­‐  CAPTAIN  OF  THE  GUARD      -­‐  TIGELLINUS  -­‐  A  YOUNG  ROMAN      -­‐  A  CAPPODOCIAN      -­‐  A  NUBIAN      -­‐  THE  PAGE  OF  HERODIAS      -­‐  THE  JEWS      -­‐  A  SLAVE      -­‐  NAMAAN,  THE  EXECUTIONER      -­‐  THE  SLAVES  OF  SALOME  

The Ideas

I   always   wanted   to   direct   a   play   with   a   strong   message,   something   relatable   yet  mind-­‐boggling  for  the  audience  and  a  true  challenge  for  any  actor  and  myself.  I  did  this  with  

Broken   Glass.   With   Salome,   I’m   going   a  whole   different   direction.   I   want   to   tell   a  story  a  biblical  famous  story.  A  story  that  has  inspired   artists,   painters,   musician   and  composer  for  many  many  years  and  not  just  tell   it,  but  set   it   is  a  whole  different  world.   I  want   to   get   this   rather   simple   and   short  script   and   set   it   in   an   alternative   reality.  Imagine   that   history   has   taken   a   different  turn.  What  would   these   people  wear?  How  would  they  walk,  talk,  react?  I  want  to  create  

a  universe  around  this   script.  That   this   idea  of   freedom  of  creation   is   so  appealing   to  me.  The  idea  that  we  can  head  a  design  team  that  would  create  fashion  and  a  set  and  designs  that  are  completely  new  to  audience  eyes  is…  exciting.  

 To   me   this   show   is   based   around  

three   famous   sequences   in   the   script.   “The  Dance   of   The   Seven   Veils”,     “The   Torture”  and   “The   Head”.   I   will   be   talking   in   more  detail  about  these  in  the  proposals.  But  what  I   want   to   tell   you   here   is   that   these  will   be  extraordinary.   The   style   of   chorography   we  have   in   mind   will   be   like   none   we’ve   seen  before   in   SuTCo   productions.   Giving   the  opportunity   for   our   designers   to   truly   push  their  level  of  creativity  to  the  max.  

 The  chorus,  after  the  success  of  Blood  Wedding  and  Equus,  is  a  key  key  part  in  this  

production.  The  will  be  responsible  for  bringing  to  life  the   world   that   we   want   to   create.   Their   physicality  and  movement  will  be  basis  for  the  mood  that  we  are  trying   to   create.   You   don’t   have   to   be   a   fit   actor   or  familiar  with  physicals  theatre  or  contemporary  dance  to   be   able   to   pull   off   these   parts,   but   a   brilliant  imagination  to  bring  these  characters  to  life!    

The Rights and week slots  We  prefer  to  have  week  5.  Week  3  is  doable  but  we  will  require  auditions  asap.  There  are  no  Copy-­‐Rights!:)

The team  Director  –  Arsalan  Sattari  

Arsalan  is  an  MSc  (Creative  &  Cultural  Industry)  Management  student.  He  has  been  involved  with  theatre  and  the  arts  form  a  very  young  age.  Before  Sheffield,  he  was  heavily  involved  on  and  off   stage  at   school  and  with  amateur   theatre  companies,   the  highlight  of  which  was  stage  managing  Les  miserable  at  the  Artrix  theatre  in  Bromsgrove,  amongst  other  things,  such  as  exploring  writing  for  the  stage  and  studying  musical  theatre  and  achieving  his  RADA  Shakespeare  gold  certificates  with  Merit  and  training  in  stage  combat.  He  was  also  the  captain  of  the  school  theatre  company,  organising  the  admin  side  of  4  annual  shows.      He  has  appeared  in  many  productions  including,  The  Castle,  The  Lightning  Play,  Nimrod,  The  Merchant  of  Venice,  The  Man  Who  Listens,  Clouds  and  Waiting  for  Godot  and  most  recetly  SuTCo’s  Equus.  He  has  directed  Broken  Glass   for  SuTCo   in  2010,  The  Man  Who  Listens  for  Platform  2010,  Footloose  for  SUPAS  2009.  Produced  Tragedy  of  Titus  for  Headlock  Theatre  at  the  Fringe  and  has  a  very  familiar  and  close  relationship  with  the  society  and  the  drama  studio.  Directing   and  production   is   his   passion   and   the   thought   of   directing   a   challenging  piece  of  theatre  such  as  Salome  with  the  level  of  creativity  that  it  offers  is  truly  uplifting.    Production  Manager  –  Dom  Corfield  Dominic  is  a  second  year  BA  Politics  student.  He  has  had  a  very  keen  interest  in  theatre  since  his  time  at  secondary  school,  acting  in  shows  such  as  The  Wind  in  the  Willows,  12  Angry  Men,  The  Rover  and  The  Exam.  In  January  2009  Dominic  performed  at  the  Chicago  Sketch  Comedy  Festival  in  the  US  in  a  production  called  Life  Isn’t  Everything,  something  which  only  heightened  his  dedication  to  theatre.  On  the  technical  side,  he  stage  managed  a  production  of  As  You  Like  It,  and  directed  Noel  Coward’s  Private  Lives  while  in  6th  form.    His   first   SuTCo   involvement  was  playing   Joseph  K   in   the  SuTCo  production  of  The  Trial  by  Steven  Berkoff   in  his  first  year.  Later  than  year  he  worked  as  Lighting  Operator  for  Broken  Glass  which   gave   him   his   first   experience   of  working  with   the   director,   and   then  worked  with  him  again   in   Platform  Festival   show  The  Man  Who   Listens.   This   has   given  him  great  experience  of  working  with  the  director  and  the  knowledge  that  they  are  more  than  capable  together  of  creating  another  excellent  show  for  the  society.  This  year  he  has  played  Jimmy  Porter  in  Look  Back  in  Anger.  By  having  an  active  role  in  theatre,  both  onstage  and  behind  the  scenes,  since  secondary  school  he  has  become  accustomed  to  working  within  a  team  of  both   technical   and   acting   staff   in   intensive   schedules.   Due   to   all   of   this   he   now   feels  prepared  and  excited   to   take  on   the   role  of  production  manager   for  Salome  and   to  being  part  of  what  will  be  an  amazing  show  for  SuTCo.          

Additions To The Team After Proposals

Choreographer  Producer  

Deputy  Stage  Manager  Set  Designer  

Sound  Designer  Lighting  Designer  Costume  Designer  Sound  Operator  Lighting  Operator  

 We  will  also  have  members  of  the  belly  dancing  and  drumming  society  involved.  

 We do not have specific people in mind and are happy to consider failed proposal

teams for available roles.

Why should SuTCo put on Salome and put their trust in us! ;)  

• Wilde  is  a  big  name,  people  know  him,  like  him  or  not,  they’ve  heard  of  him  and  alome   will   interest   a   wide   range   of   audiences,   from   A-­‐level   students   to   the  Sheffield  community  and  our  general  audience.      

• Even  if  the  audience  have  no  clue  about  the  biblical  story,  the  chemistry  and  the  story  line  of  the  show  will  keep  them  at  the  edge  of  their  seats.  Even  if  this  fails  and   they   hate   theatre,   the   choreography   and   the   movement   will   keep   them  engaged.    

• This   is  a  show  SuTCo  members  will   love!   It  gives   the  actors   the  opportunity   to  explore  the  characters  and  the   level  of   freedom  of  creativity  will  allow  them  to  come  up  with  some  fab  characteristics.  It’s  not  just  the  case  of  learning  lines…  go  away,  learn  them,  feel  them,  eat  them,  love  them…  If  our  members  want  to  show  off  their  talent,  this  will  be  the  highlight  of  their  SuTCo  career.  

 • The   script   offers   the   opportunity   to   play   around   with   the   stage   as   much   as  

possible,  and  the  ideas  the  team  have  come  up  with  will  truly  reflect  the  thought  process  of   the  characters,  and  without  giving  much  away,   It  will  offer  a  certain  freedom  and  playground  for  the  actors  to  do  as  they  wish.  

 • We   haven’t   had   a   show   produced   that   resembles   anything   close   to   what   this  

script  has  to  offer…  In  my  two  and  half  years  of  SuTCo  I  haven’t  seen  a  show  that  puts  across  these  messages  and  concepts  with  such  awesome.  It  offers  twist  and  turns,   laughs   and   tears   and   its   thought  provoking  while   offering   the   chance   to  truly  fall  in  love  with  the  characters.  

 • IT  WILL  SELL…  It  has  a  massive  name  behind  it.  The  publicity  opportunities  that  

it  offers  are  massive…  The  History  dep,  English  dep,  schools,  the  mass  Sheffield  crowd.  A  colourful  and  eye  catching  publicity  package  and  hopefully  a  gripping  trailer…