Oedipus

Oedipus at The Old Vic Theatre

The myth of Oedipus is one of the better known from the Greek playwright Sophocles. The tale of Oedipus permeates literature and psychology. The story follows the protagonist, Oedipus, as he grapples with the oracle's warnings and old prophecies that are brought back into the light.

In this new production at the Old Vic, adapted by Ella Hickson, similar to the original, Oedipus is told that to prevent further drought and disease for his people, the murder of the previous king must be avenged. Yet, as the play progresses, it unveils it was Oedipus who committed regicide. The hero's tragic destiny to kill his father and marry his mother is infamous. Even with the knowledge that this is Oedipus' fate before you enter the theatre, it still provokes chills in the audience.

Before the play begins, the shadowy eyes of Oedipus (Rami Malek) pierce down on us through the darkness, foreshadowing his self-inflicted gouging of the eyes at the end of the play.

As the play begins, Oedipus begins writhing centre stage. His contorted body mirrors his anguish at the play's climax and infers his lack of control over the events. Everything is fated and predetermined; the pain and repulsion are inevitable.

Hofesh Shechter is co-director with Matthew Warchus, but Shechter's choreography work is masterful in this production. It is rare to go to a performance where the dancers get a larger applause than the A-lister, but the dancers' and choreography in this production are the star of the show. All of the dancers are part of the Hofesh Shechter Company: Justine Gouache, Charles Heinrich, Kenny Wing Tao Ho, Adam Khazhmuradov, Kim Kohlmann, Oscar Jinghu Li, Yen-Ching Lin, Rachelle Scott, Jian-Hui Wang and Zee Zunnur, and all deserve the applause they receive.

The costume design, Rae Smith, is inconsistent and doesn't work towards a cohesive message. Oedipus is in a suit, Creon (Nicholas Khan) is in a religious robe, Jocasta (Indira Varma) is in a traditional Grecian gown, and the dancers are in ragged peasant clothes, to name a few. Whilst these costumes make sense individually, they do not link together to build an image of the time and atmosphere in which the play is supposed to be set—present day, ancient Greece or somewhere in between.

The set design (Smith) for this production is sparse but effective; we are left with a dystopian atmosphere, which is enhanced by the lighting design, Tom Visser. However, as the deep orange hues sweep across the back of the stage, it implies that the sun is passing by and time is swiftly moving on. However, the original play is set over mere hours and certainly contained within one day. It is unclear how much time has passed, but this production leaves us uncertain of where and when we are.

This Oedipus pivots around Oedipus' brazen belief that he is the rightful ruler, which, as the son of the king, he technically is, but he is steadfast in his reason and logic. The prophecies that haunt him possess a power that is greater than human control. At first, they take the place of mystic conspiracy, yet by the end, all logic and reason cannot prevail, and the prophecy is fulfilled.

Notable Names:

Rami Malek (Oedipus)

Indira Varma (Jocasta)

Nicholas Khan (Creon)

Joseph Mydell (Corinthian)

Cecilia Noble (Tiresias)

Nicholas Woodeson (Shepherd)

Ella Hickson (Adaptation)

Hofesh Shechter (Co-Director, Choreographer & Music)

Oedipus Venue:

Old Vic

103 The Cut,

 London,

SE1 8NB

Dates:

from 21st January – 29th March 2025

Oedipus Running Time:

1 hour and 40 minutes, without an interval.