Few ancient plays have had the impact on culture that Sophocles’ Oedipus enjoys. Freud’s infamous Oedipal Complex is derived from the story, and he suggested that psychosis stemmed from a boy’s urge to kill his father and marry his mother. Others use the story to illustrate favorite theories about how we create our life path — is it free will and the choices we make, or are our lives predestined and we can’t escape our fate?
David Daniel’s adaptation of Oedipus, currently on the Mainstage of the Indiana Repertory Theatre, is a modern interpretation of the classic tale. The audience enters the world of Oedipus (David Alan Anderson) in the midst of a crisis: The city is being ravaged by a plague. The citizens cry out for a cure, begging their king to do something. Oedipus sends his brother-in-law Creon (Trieu Tran) to Delphi to seek out the Oracle’s guidance. We find out that Oedipus is from Corinth, a city he left to escape the prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. He became king in Thebes after he correctly answered the Sphynx’s riddle outside the gates of the city, freeing the citizens and becoming a wise and just ruler. Creon comes back with the answer from Delphi: find and kill the murderer of the last king Laius. This is when the truth begins to hit the fan, as the seer Tiresias (Lisa Wolpe) is called in, who begs Oedipus to leave the matter alone. A Corinthian (Ryan Artzberger) comes to share the sad news that Oedipus’ father has died, and Oedipus takes the news as a sign that the prophecy is wrong. In short order, we find out he was actually adopted, and is really the son of Laius by his queen Jocasta (Mary Beth Fisher) who he married and is the mother of his sons and daughters (brothers and sisters). What’s more, on his trip to Thebes, Oedipus killed Laius on the road, not knowing who he was. Upon hearing this, Jocasta flees and kills herself, and Oedipus blinds himself as punishment for his sins.
David Alan Anderson doesn’t act as much as evolves on stage before your eyes from the confident and arrogant king of Thebes to a broken man weeping blood and remorse. Anderson goes deep and brings up massive power from somewhere in his actor’s soul to portray this complicated man. The cast members act as a Greek chorus behind him, stepping out from his shadow into singular roles. Wolpe’s Tiresias is noteworthy for her understated physicality, while Artzberger’s Corinthian is light and rather clueless to the mayhem he is about to cause. Musician Jed Feder adds musical and special effect sounds as well as adding his voice to the chorus.
James Still’s direction keeps most of the actors on the stage at all times, moving them into and out of the shadows as needed. The stage itself is simple, a combination of geometric patterns and subdued Greek styles in the background, which serves the play well by setting a somber tone.
Oedipus is a powerhouse of a play that deserves big audiences and big applause. Ancient, yet timely, Oedipus should be on your “things to see” list in March.
Oedipus will be at the IRT through March 18. Tickets are available at irtlive.com or by calling 317-635-5252.
