Every culture has their stories about love. Many of them are very similar and could be said to all spring from the Jungian collective unconscious. It is from this wellspring that A Song of Songs derives. The passion project of Ofra Daniel, A Song of Songs takes its name from the biblical book that compares the relationship between God and His people, to a loving, physical relationship. Words from this tome litter the show and become a shorthand for the lovers in the show.

The central figure, played by Daniel herself, is a cross between John Fowles’s The French Lieutenant’s Woman and an avatar of Aphrodite – albeit with a secular interest in love. While the show is partially set in Jerusalem, it isn’t based on any real events. Daniel spend most of the show as the young Tirzah, while the character’s seasoned, experienced self frames the story.

Forced to marry a much older man (Matthew Woodyat) who happens to be a widower, Tirzah finds little in her life that gives her joy. Children would perhaps bring a modicum of purpose and happiness, but like Federico García Lorca’s Yerma, she’s unable to conceive with her husband – which pushes them even further away from each other. But just when there seems nothing to live for, Tirzah finds she has a secret admirer (Joaquin Pedro Valdes) and like Cyrano de Bergerac, he woos her from afar with his letters…

The musicians (Ramon Ruiz, Antonio Romero, Ashley Blasse, Daniel Gouly, Amy Morwenna Price) that accompany Daniel tap into an assortment of traditional world music, creating an aural mosaic that reflects the universality of the show’s themes. Also accompanying Daniel onstage throughout the show are Laurel Dougall, Rebecca Giacopazzi, Shira Kravitz and Ashleigh Schuman. As well as playing the ensemble, bring visual flair to the proceddings that tap into Iberian attire and choreography.

A show like this doesn’t often appear at the Park Theatre (or other theatres outside the West End for that matter). But kudos should be given to Daniel & Co. for ‘taking a risk’ with putting on a show that doesn’t fall into the usual cliches of musical theatre and extrapolating an idea for a show’s ‘book’ from the most unlikeliest of places.

© Michael Davis 2024

A Song of Songs runs at Park Theatre until 15th June.