Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre: A Modern Greek Tragedy That Stuns London Audiences

There seems to be a current fascination with Greek tragedies, and a bit like buses, we don’t get Oedipus very often. This is the first of two productions to hit the London stage.

Sophocles wrote this story two and a half thousand years ago, and it has been adapted by its director, Robert Icke, into a two-hour, no-interval, modernised play. It’s just one of the great roles—he sleeps with his mother and kills his father! Freud even named the complex after the character.

Icke has very cleverly kept all the characters’ names the same but placed the story in a political context. Here, we have a politician on the eve of an election who announces that, if elected, he will reveal the truth about his birth and usher in a new era of honesty in politics. We see this announced on video to begin with. Then we move to the office, where we await the election results and the events play out.

The office is very modern—clean and minimalist. Greek tragedy traditionally preserves the unities of place and time, and this production honours that with a clock counting down to the announcement of the election results. The play unfolds in real time, and as the story darkens, the office is gradually cleared out, leaving the stage emptier and emptier.

There’s also an instance of what is known as Chekhov’s gun: if a gun is introduced in Act One, it must be fired by Act Three. When the gun was put in the safe, I thought, “I know that’s going to be fired, and I know where it will happen because it’s behind a glass panel.” But I didn’t know who would use it or when—it was a real shock!

Mark Strong is Oedipus, and he is terrific as an eloquent politician striving to be honest—honesty that ultimately becomes his downfall.

Two major things happen. First, his mother insists on speaking with him in private to reveal something important. His wife, Jocasta, played by Lesley Manville, is fabulous and tremendously moving when she discloses her past and what happened to her as a child. She also wants to discuss something about her own history.

Strong and Manville are quite brilliant, and their scenes together are nothing short of electric.

The story unfolds with astonishing precision, revealing itself in layers. Initially, it feels like a low-stakes political drama—something a politician could overcome. But as the pieces come together, the audience collectively gasps and falls silent.

From there, it plunges into the inevitable, tragic conclusion that defines Greek tragedy. By the end, I was wincing at what was happening!

This production won’t put you in a Christmassy mood, but if you can get a ticket, it’s well worth it. While it’s almost sold out, ticket prices—astronomical at times—may drop due to dynamic pricing. Check closer to the date, as unsold seats may become more affordable.

Another production of Oedipus is due early in the new year at the Old Vic, but it will have to work hard to come anywhere near this one.

It’s one of the most stunning pieces of theatre I’ve seen all year. If you love drama—serious drama—go see this.

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