Guest Blog: 'This is a Timeless Story': Performer Ofra Daniel on the London Premiere of Her Show, A SONG OF SONGS

A Song of Songs is not your typical musical theatre - but definitely a play with lots of music. The production is nestled in a traditional Middle Eastern beat, infused with the flamenco of Andalusia and klezmer – a real fusion of world music. My vision is now coming to life with the help of a brilliant cast in its London premiere.

The show brings together drama, poetry, music, song and dance through the experience of a live performance; where the musicians and the performers join together in the storytelling.  A world of sounds, rhythms and the scent from a different world are created.

I was inspired to write A Song of Songs, after falling in love with some of the most beautiful and erotic love poetry ever written, found in the biblical A Song of Songs. Though epically biblical, this is a timeless story of a brave heroine who is outspoken, expressive and provocative in her pursuit of the desire of love.

In an ancient town, where women are expected to follow a traditional path into domestic life, our bride is in a passionless marriage, and discovers she has an unseen admirer. Intrigued, she enters into a mysterious and fervent love affair—and finds herself on a journey of awakening.  Or is it madness?

A Song of Songs is very much an ensemble piece with a company of twelve, cultivating a language of magical realism and storytelling through movement, dance and music. They are all on stage throughout the performance, all in the wonderfully intimate 200 seater Park Theatre. 

During rehearsals we get to play and improvise and I’m loving the experience of having the musicians in the rehearsal room from the get go. It makes such a difference. Our flamenco guitarist Ramon Ruiz is going to surprise us every night with some brilliant improvisations and we discovered that our clarinet player, Daniel Gouly, is a great dancer and can play stunningly even whilst lying down – we’re keeping that in!

In this exciting new production we have Joaquin Pedro Valdes, playing the Lover and Matthew Woodyatt the Husband - both men create an electric tension circling around the same woman. As I’m playing that woman, the Lover (Joaquin) is simply impossible to resist! Not only is he incredibly beautiful, with an obvious masculine presence and sex appeal, he is also tender, romantic and deep, with a voice that melts you. Matthew Woodyatt, brings a whole different type of masculinity. He is thoughtful, funny, determined and captures your heart when he sings.

Our chorus of women fill the stage, breaking into songs and dances while rapidly changing their perspective in relation to the heroine – playing every type of woman. They are mean and supportive, old and young – and even become clucking hens. Something that literally just developed organically into the show – because we have real hens in the yard outside our rehearsal room. In one scene our cast improvised women as clucking hens, and it felt right – so we are keeping that in too!

A Song Of Songs is at the Park Theatre from 9 May - 16 June

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