Al Pacino to Lead SALOME in the West End

The Daily Mail writes that Al Pacino is returning to the West End for the first time in 30 years in Oscar Wilde's SALOME, which will premiere in Spring of 2016, helmed by Robert Allan Ackerman.

Pacino has appeared in readings of SALOME in New York and Los Angeles, but "we'll be wearing clothes for London," he told the Mail. "There will be make-up, sets, costumes... and decadence. It will be a whole different thing to what we did in America."

Jessica Chastain played 'Salome' in Los Angeles, but the London production is searching for a new actress for the role. The Chastain version was filmed and edited into a documentary centering on Pacino's fascination with the play; the doc aired last Sunday, September 21.

SALOME tells "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."

Pacino also revealed that he will likely appear in a new play by David Mamet in New York before SALOME in London. Stay tuned -- BWW will bring you the news as soon as we get wind of Pacino's next project!

Pacino most recently appeared onstage in the 2012 Broadway revival of Glengarry Glen Ross. He has also starred on Broadway in The Merchant of Venice, Hughie, Chinese Coffee, American Buffalo, King Richard III, The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel, Camino Real and Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? He won Tony Awards for 'Pavlo Hummel' and 'Tiger' and was nominated for 'Merchant'.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride