Summary
This modern retelling transports Sophocles’ ancient tragedy to the contemporary political stage, unfolding in real-time as a charismatic leader awaits the results of a landslide election victory. 1 Oedipus is depicted as a reformist politician who, in an effort to demonstrate total transparency, pledges to reopen the investigation into his predecessor’s death.
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Nov 19, 2025
There’s a lot more good than bad about this production. Performances are strong. I liked the set. I think the modernization conceit of Oedipus-as-political-candidate is fine - certain details feel a bit under-baked, but it doesn’t really matter. I’m just not sure I enjoy how heavily this leans on dramatic irony. (Ooo, she’s flexing the term from English class.) We all know where the story’s going and there’s a great big countdown clock on stage that tells us precisely when we’re gonna get there. We’re hitting these crazy emotional beats and people are giggling - that’s the point, you say, astutely noting that that’s a feature of the original work, too - but characters make decisions and deliver lines more in the interest of playing off what we know than having coherent motivations and narratives. (Why is he so determined to release his birth certificate on or immediately after election night, other than to drive the big reveal?) I would think that’s all a little too cute in a modern play. Should this get a pass because it’s an updated piece from antiquity? Maybe? Mark Strong and Lesley Manville have this fabulous physicality to their reactions when they figure it out, torn between tenderness and lust and visceral disgust. I see why this is getting so much praise. I think it’s an effective piece of theater, but I honestly just felt kind of ambivalent.