Oedipus at the Old Vic: Rami Malek’s Greek Tragedy Falls Short

Oedipus at the Old Vic Theatre until 29th March 2025

Our current fascination with Greek drama (Hadestown / Elektra) continues.

The story has been around for a couple of millennia, but amazingly, it’s a bit like buses, you don’t get an Oedipus for years, and suddenly, you get two Oedipuses (or is it Oedipi?) within six months of each other. We had the Mark Strong version, directed by Robert Icke, which closed just before Christmas, and now, a few months later, we’re at the Old Vic with another take on the same story.

This time, it’s Rami Malek, who won an Oscar for Bohemian Rhapsody (a performance marked by those unforgettable teeth!), alongside Indira Varma as his devoted wife. Whilst Icke’s version was a contemporary, politically charged, modern reimagining, this production boldly returns to the myth’s original roots, immersing us in ancient Thebes.

The essence remains: an oracle’s prophecy that he will kill his father and sleep with his mother. How it unfolds, though, is entirely different. The Oracle (here, in a nice touch, a reel-to-reel tape recorder) has declared that solving a cold case will bring the rain. Of course, his quest to do so leads to his inevitable downfall.

From the beginning, the production establishes its mood through an evocative portrayal of Thebes. The stage is a blank box with a rising & falling centre podium and is transformed into a living, breathing landscape by Tom Visser’s brilliant, evocative lighting – and spoiler – it does rain!

One of the production’s most arresting ideas is reimagining the Greek chorus as a dynamic dance troupe. Co-directed by Hofesh Shechter and Matthew Walkers, the dancers burst onto the scene in a swirling, writhing mass of bodies. Their movements are raw and elemental, evoking both the chaos of a parched, unforgiving landscape and the primal energy of ancient ritual. They return throughout the play, but with diminishing returns, failing to either illuminate or drive the narrative.

The production embraces the Greek ideal of unity in time and space, running nearly two hours without an interval.

Malek’s portrayal of Oedipus is a study in controlled intensity, as he meticulously pieces together the clues that lead to his doomed fate. Indira Varma provides a refreshing counterpoint with a performance that melds gravitas and unexpected humour, while Nicholas Khan’s interpretation of Creon adds layers of religious and moral complexity to the central triangle of characters.

Despite these strengths, the production struggles to sustain its early momentum. Much like The Lion King, which opens with a flourish yet never quite regains its initial high. Indeed, the prophet Tiresias’s costume (played by Cecilia Nobel) looks like she may have wandered in from a production of The Lion King!

The brilliant dancing and evocative setting make for a memorable experience, but the climax ultimately lacks the crushing finality that true Greek tragedy demands, a shortcoming that might have been less apparent had I not experienced the earlier Mark Strong production.

There’s a lot to admire here, but we’re in a very different world and witnessing a very different interpretation of the same Oedipus story. This production opens with a bang but never delivers that gut-wrenching thud of tragedy at the end.

The dancing is superb, and the performances are strong – unfortunately, it fizzles at the moment when it should tighten its grip.

For more in-depth London theatre reviews and cultural insights, visit EyeOnLondon. Have you seen Oedipus at the Old Vic? Share your thoughts in the comments, we’d love to hear your take!

[Image Credit: Eastern Eye]

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