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Oedipus the King, also known by the Latin
title Oedipus Rex, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BCE.
It was the second of Sophocles's three Theban plays to be produced, but it comes first in
the internal chronology, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and then Antigone.
Oedipus Rex chronicles the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes the king of Thebes who
was destined from birth to murder his father Laius and marry his mother Jocasta.
The play is an example of a classic tragedy, noticeably containing an emphasis on
how Oedipus's own faults contribute to the tragic hero's downfall, as opposed to
having fate be the sole cause. Over the centuries, Oedipus Rex has come to be regarded by
many as the Greek tragedy par excellence.
Playwriter Oscar van Woensel rewrote the Oedipus tragedy to a intense and spiritual odyssee.
He joined both classical pieces Oedipus Rex and Oedipus in Kolonos in a single performance. Alize Zandwijk
directed the piece in which overconfidence, despair and understanding, enlightenment make their entrances.
Friday 29th March 2013 we went to Gouda to see a play "Oedipus" performed by the RO theatre, a well known
Dutch theatre company. The stage performance started at 20 h. PM with a dark decor on which the chorus (the fates?) entered with their candles.
One did the introducing story of Thebe and Oedipus (actor Jacqueline Blom), the other did the mimic (Yahya Gaier) and the third played a kind of
selfmade violin of 2000 years ago and played the blind prophet Teiresias (Maartje Teussink who did the music).
The first part of the piece which took an hour was the best part. Especially the mimic and performance of Yahya
made the tragedy bearable without turning it into a tragic comedy. The music did its contribution but some pieces
we did not like. They belonged more in a heavy metal performance than on stage...
After the pause it was hard to focus, a long monologue by the old Oedipus (Jack Wouterse) became a long blab or twaddle about
philosophical and spiritual nonsense. Writers often preach: do not tell, show it! The flow of the first part
had been disappeared after the pause. Happily the second part was not as long, and the ending was fine.
Still, without the spiritual nonsense we had enjoyed the performance much and much more. Our compliments to Yahya
which did a very good and playful performance.
Another review (in Dutch) is by Robbert van Heuven.
The RO Theater company is one of the well-known companies in Holland with Rotterdam as home city. In 2010 they performed King Lear.
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