Salome, by Oscar Wilde
What's the fuss?
(Review posted 26 Jul 2004 02:15:58)

According to the preface in my Dover Thrift Edition here, this play has caused huge controversy, being banned and/or villified by some, and lauded and/or constantly performed by others, translated into lots of different languages, subject to heated debate, and so on.

I dunno, maybe I need to see it performed. Or maybe it's too deep for me, or maybe it's dated.

It's a somewhat interesting take on the whole "bring me the head of John the Baptist" thing, with some effective and haunting images. And it's very short. But I don't see the source of the vast controversy, or villification, or for that matter praise. (Maybe if I were Christian or Jewish or something...)