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RECOMMENDED

Salome — the infamous Biblical femme fatale — has been the subject of art and theatre throughout the ages. The inspiration for paintings, operas and, most notably, Oscar Wilde’s 1896 play, she invokes strong images of lust, sexuality, and feminine power. The most notorious of them is her seductive “dance of the seven veils,” performed for her stepfather Herod and for which she demanded — and received — John the Baptist’s head on a platter.

Don’t look for much of Wilde’s work in playwright Christopher Adams-Cohen’s new take on Salome, however. The Irish playwright’s subtlety and sharp wit that is here supplanted by blunt eroticism. Indeed, the sexuality is so pervasive that it is in itself a character in the play.

Here, Salome (Adams-Cohen) is a beautiful young man living a decadent modern life. Across a gorgeous and vibrant (if filthy) three-dimensional set (an actor’s playground designed by John Iacovelli with supporting murals painted by Antoinette Adams), lovers come and go per his whim. The status quo is upset, however, when Salome’s mother, Herodias (Jacqueline Wright, in a powerful performance) arrives on the scene. When her demands are not met, she decides to stay until she receives satisfaction.

What follows is a bizarre and carnal struggle for power. The fevered and dream-like state Adams-Cohen claims to have written the play in is clearly reflected in the text. The original Salome is reduced to a memory from a dream, her inspiration expressed as mere impressions.

Patrick Kennelly’s gorgeous and detailed direction, Jonathan Snipes jarring sound design and Pablo Santiago-Brandwein lighting (some of the best design I’ve seen in intimate theater) combine to make this a surreal and sexual experience that is simply beautiful to watch.

Lunar River at The Basement at Mack Sennett Studios, 1215 Bates Ave., Los Angeles; Thurs. 8 p.m.; Fri. 8 p.m.; Fri. 11 p.m.; through February 26. (800) 838-3006 or www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2488224. Running time: 80 minutes with no intermission.