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Peer Reviews
Oedipus the
King
By Sophocles
Translated by Nicholas Rudall
Directed by J. Barrett Cooper
Reviewed by Keith Waits
Entire contents are copyright © 2007,
Keith Waits. All rights reserved.
For anyone who thinks of Greek tragedies as musty
and overly formal, the Walden Theatre production
of Oedipus the King should prove welcome,
as it rediscovers Sophocles' play as a potent evening
of entertainment.
The infamous story of Oedipus, who fulfills prophecy
by unwittingly murdering his father and marrying
his mother, is introduced to most of us as an academic
reading assignment, since the play is not often
performed. Walden Theatre, being an educational
program with a commitment to productions that cover
the entire history of western theatre, provides
us a rare opportunity to visit this famous text,
in a vigorous and accessible translation by Nicholas
Rudall.
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The cast presents
a striking image, wearing masks and robes
in Walden's production of Oedipus
the King .
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The production is visually striking, with the cast
performing masked and mostly swathed in shades
of gray robes. A spare, starkly lit stage conjures
up the classical framework of the material, while
a cacophonous score punctuates the action.
The cast steps ably through the heightened language,
eventually unearthing some surprising humor among
the heavy sledding, and the members of the chorus
move and speak with a fine unity of purpose.
The combination of humor and the shocking revelation
of Oedipus' fate may seem disconcerting to some,
but it made me more alive to the material, and
rescued the play from the ponderousness that can
be found in other productions of the Greek tragedies.
Oedipus the King
Walden Theatre
October 24, 25 & 27
Clifton Center
2117 Payne Street
502-589-0084
www.waldentheatre.org
Posted Oct. 25, 2007
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