📰 Lindsay Kemp – Salomé (Melody Maker Advert, Mar. 5, 1977)

Melody Maker Advertising / Theatre Promotion

Date: March 5, 1977

Length: 2 min read

A striking full‑page Melody Maker advert announcing the final week of Lindsay Kemp’s production of Salomé at The Round House — framed by David Bowie’s now‑famous endorsement: “This is the man that started it all.”

The avant‑garde master who shaped Bowie’s stagecraft takes his final bow at The Round House.

The advert positions Kemp not merely as a performer but as a catalyst — the artist whose influence helped ignite Bowie’s theatrical imagination, and whose work in Salomé continued to push boundaries of movement, mime, and ritualised spectacle.

📰 Key Highlights

• Full‑page advert in Melody Maker, March 5, 1977

• Promotes the final week of Salomé at The Round House

• Features David Bowie’s endorsement: “This is the man that started it all”

• Stars Lindsay Kemp with Vladek Sheybal

• Production noted for avant‑garde staging, ritualistic movement, and stylised performance

• Emphasises urgency: “DON’T MISS” / “LAST WEEK” / “Must end March 12th”

📰 Overview

By 1977, Lindsay Kemp had become a cult figure in British theatre — a choreographer, mime artist, and visionary whose influence extended far beyond the stage. His work shaped the early performance language of David Bowie, particularly during the Ziggy Stardust era, and his productions blended mime, dance, ritual, and surrealist imagery.

The Melody Maker advert for Salomé captures Kemp at a moment of renewed visibility. The stark black‑and‑white design, dramatic portraiture, and Bowie’s endorsement frame Kemp as a foundational figure in the evolution of theatrical rock performance.

The production itself — starring Kemp alongside actor Vladek Sheybal — was known for its hypnotic movement, ritualistic staging, and sensual, expressionist interpretation of Wilde’s text. The advert emphasises urgency: the run is ending, the moment is fleeting, and audiences are urged not to miss the final performances.

📰 Source Details

Publication / Venue: Melody Maker

Date: March 5, 1977

Format: Full‑page theatrical advertisement

Provenance Notes: Sourced from original print scan; includes promotional portrait and Bowie quote.

📰 The Story

The advert opens with Bowie’s declaration — “This is the man that started it all.” For readers in 1977, this was a powerful statement. Bowie’s theatricality, mime‑infused movement, and early stage persona were deeply shaped by Kemp’s teaching and mentorship.

The production of Salomé at The Round House was part of Kemp’s ongoing exploration of ritual theatre. The advert’s design — stark, dramatic, almost ceremonial — mirrors the production’s aesthetic. Vladek Sheybal, known for his intense screen presence, added further gravitas.

The text stresses that this is the last week of the run, ending March 12th, urging audiences to witness Kemp’s work while they still can. In the context of 1977 — a year of punk, glam’s afterglow, and theatrical experimentation — Kemp’s presence in Melody Maker signals his continued relevance to the evolution of performance art and rock culture.

📰 Visual Archive

Lindsay Kemp’s Salomé — promoted in Melody Maker with Bowie’s endorsement — final week at The Round House, March 1977.

📰 Related Material

• David Bowie & Lindsay Kemp – Early Performance Training

• Salomé (Kemp Company Productions)

• The Round House – 1970s Avant‑Garde Theatre

📰 Closing Notes

This advert stands as a reminder of Kemp’s influence on British performance culture — a bridge between mime, theatre, glam rock, and the avant‑garde, captured at the close of one of his most striking productions.

🏷️ Hashtags

#LindsayKemp #Salome #MelodyMaker1977 #DavidBowie #RoundHouse #AvantGardeTheatre #PerformanceArt #ReleaseChronicle

📰 Sources

• Melody Maker, March 5, 1977 – theatrical advert

• Contemporary theatre documentation

• Minimal provenance references from collector archives

📝 Copyright Notice

All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.