If you were in the mood for some erotic love poetry, you might not automatically think to turn to the Hebrew Bible. The Song of Songs, which appears in the final section of the Tanakh, celebrates sexual love from the viewpoint of two lovers, and serves as the inspiration for Ofra Daniel’s European premiere currently playing at Park Theatre.
Daniel also directs and stars in A Song of Songs, this hybrid of play and musical. Playing Tirzah, a newly married woman stuck in a loveless marriage who discovers she has a secret admirer. Tirzah and the Lover enter into a torrid and sexually charged affair, but not everything may be as it seems as the plot twists and turns in several directions.
Joaquin Pedro Valdes plays The Lover and demonstrates monumental talent with impressive vocals. These are not easy songs to sing but Valdes more than rises to the challenge. As do the ensemble, who provide depth to the piece.
The songs, nineteen in total, are a fusion of Middle Eastern and world music score, with elements of Flamenco. All of the music is played live by an on stage band, and it does sound truly sublime. When combined with Billy Mitchell’s choreography, there’s no denying this is a sensual and stimulating watch.
The plot however, isn’t so clear cut. Tirzah, along with Matthew Woodyatt as narrator (and also husband, father and accordion player) tell the audience the story, and by the end we’re pretty much being spoon-fed every detail, rather than being allowed to discover it for ourselves.
This also makes the staging less exciting than it could have been, with characters sometimes moving around the stage with little sense of purpose. As A Song of Songs progresses, the movement elements become more erotic, and even those of us who aren’t complete prudes might start to feel a little uncomfortable.
Tirzah is intended to be a strong female character and Daniel’s confident portrayal helps to get this across, even if the script sometimes feels contradictory. A Song of Songs works, in the main, as a result of its music, which easily stirs the senses. Accomplished performances from all involved helps the storytelling immeasurably, but with a revised script this is a piece of theatre that could really stand out from the crowd.
