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OEDIPUS REX by Sophocles
Presented by STAG
Directed by Warwick Taylor
Reviewed ( June 17) by K.E. Weber
Cast: Raymond Dunstan, Alison Mckenzie, David Koetsier, Tony Rainer, Steven Byass, Angelo Tzoumas, Valina Rainer, Shirley Cattunar, Samantha Rawlinson, Barbara Wyatt.
Oedipus Tyrannus or Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King) is believed to have been written somewhere between 430 B.C and 415 B.C. It is, of course, one of the most famous tragedies of classical theatre. It is based on a Greek Myth about a man who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. Like most Greek drama, it is a highly formal play that is written in verse and consists of scenes among characters alternating with choral songs or the chorus. Sophocles pulled away from the more traditional plots of the day, like religion and morality, and focused instead on the nature of man, his problems and his struggles.
Oedipus did have more than his fair share of woes but STAG, it would seem, did not. Their bravery, in firstly accepting this play into their program (bums on seats material, it ain't) and secondly staging such a brilliant piece of drama, should be commended. In the wrong hands this may have been a tragedy of a different type, but Warwick Taylor's steady hand and clear vision were obvious from the onset. It has been some time since I've felt the atmosphere of a play long before hearing the first spoken word. Not an easy thing to achieve, but STAG successfully created the dark and brooding quality of the tale to come.
The playing area was moved from the stage to the floor for this production. A wonderful idea as it opened the acting space and enabled seating to be arranged in a semicircular fashion. The black curtains complemented the illusion wonderfully well
(Although there was one dreadful moment of intruding modernity during the exchange between Oedipus, Creon and the heater directly behind them.) The audience were welcomed into the play it seemed, no longer just voyeurs but a very real part of the action.
Warwick Taylor used his obviously sound knowledge of dramatic technique to create a highly evocative and powerful play. I loved the stylised and meticulous movements of the chorus. I also loved the well-modulated and articulate speaking voices however, while understanding the need, I found the common voices of The Messenger (Steven Byass) and The Shepherd (Angelo Tzoumas) somewhat jarring. The Thebans (chorus) had the fine hair on my back bristling more than once with their heartfelt wailing - again, sound was well-modulated here. Good and creative use was made of lighting and sound to support the chorus and indeed the mood of the play. The use of masks along with puppets and wonderful costuming added another layer to the bold, rich tapestry of this production. Capes were used to great dramatic effect - I was haunted by the image of the three witches in Macbeth for some time after.
The standard of acting was also high as was the level of acting challenges. Raymond Dunstan (Oedipus) accepted them, and gave a stirringly strong performance. He was confident throughout (except for a strange stumble when in dialogue with Teiresias) and particularly effective when portraying the newly blinded King stumbling through his first throes of madness. Alison Mckenzie (Jocasta) was also strong and wonderfully confident as was David Koetsier (Creon) and Tony Rainer (Teiresias). Shirley Cattunar (The Chorus Leader) and Valina Rainer (An Attendant) were outstanding, both using voice, movement and eyes to great dramatic effect.
I can only hope that STAG had a good attendance overall ( although not quite as high, I'm sure, as the 15,000 to 20,000 who attended the open-air theatres of Sophocles' day!) because while this strange tale of patricide and incest is not for everyone, an excellent and focused production that is lead by a talented and creative director not afraid to take risks, should be. It was for me! |
