Mella Faye’s modern day adaptation of the classic Greek mythological story is electrifying in all the right ways, but becomes increasingly overwhelming to watch.
Lighting, sound and music are the key elements that are vital to bringing this dramatic story to life, becoming increasingly over the top to the point that it almost detracts from the script itself.
It is a bit of a shame as the premise behind this modern adaptation of Oedipus is fascinating and works well in 2024. Set in modern day London, the focus of the plot is not in fact Oedipus but rather Jocasta, who here is a screen writer struggling to complete her script. But when she and her husband Laius discover that she is pregnant, the screenplay that she is writing soon proves to be a way to pour her grief over her son who was taken from her year’s ago, using the original Greek story as its basis and Oedipus as her son.
With any Greek story, what you can always expect is plenty of passion and drama and there is no doubting that Mella Faye’s production and script delivers on this. As a production and through the performances of the cast, the high energy and urgency that seeps through ensures that the audience is completely enthralled from start to finish. It is also not an easy watch in the way in which it deals with grief and ectopic pregnancies, there is a sense of rawness to all of the emotions that comes through, particularly during the climatic scenes, which leads to a surprising ending (unlike the original story).
Pecho Mama’s electronic score and Tanya Stephenson and Clare O’Donoghue’s lighting design adds to the frantic energy and enhances the way in which the story unfolds but can become slightly unbalanced in places in a way that distracts from the story and characters slightly. There were moments particularly in later half of the show that felt as though style rather than substance was focused on, downplaying the emotions that Jocasta is going through as she becomes increasingly immersed in a world of her creation – with the story needing more room to breathe and develop.
But it does have to be said that this production provides solid evidence on just how adaptable Greek Mythology stories can be transformed for a modern audience by seeing it through a different lens. Faye’s script is packed with lines that really know how to hit the audience in a powerful way, while her production as a whole fully embraces the drama of the story unfolding, managing to keep the audience guessing (even if you think you know where it is heading) – it is a heady and overwhelming experience.
Meanwhile the cast themselves are thoroughly committed to their characters. In particular, Mella Faye as Jocasta gives really detailed and focused performance as Jocasta – she is completely mesmerising to watch as her emotions bounce all over the place. It is a raw and increasingly difficult performance to watch because it is so authentic. Ryan David Harston as Oedipus wonderfully uses movement to highlight the complex inner workings of his character with great ease, while the way in which he uses Mella Faye’s industrial set design almost as an extension of his character is impressive. Kwame Bentil as Laius provides a warm and sympathetic performance that is touching to watch.
Overall, Oedipus Electronica is a bit of a mixed experience. Yes there is power and drive at the centre of it that is impressive and makes it compelling to watch, but it is difficult not to feel that it pushes too hard to be extreme as possible that can lose the impact of the story and emotion that lies at the centre of it.
By Emma Clarendon
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐