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The Oedipus Myth

Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus

1st October 6:30 pm
Lithuanian National Drama Theatre, Main Stage




Adaptation author, director: Gintaras Varnas

Cast:
Oedipus – Valentinas Novopolskis
Creon – Arūnas Sakalauskas
Jocasta – Nelė Savičenko
Teiresias – Vytautas Anužis
Coryphaeus – Povilas Budrys
Eteocles – Paulius Markevičius
Polynices – Mantas Zemleckas
Antigone – Jovita Jankelaitytė
Ismene – Dovilė Kundrotaitė
Menoeceus/Haimon – Arnas Ašmonas
Eurydice – Vesta Grabštaitė
Messenger from Corinth – Rimantas Bagdzevičius
Shepherd – Saulius Balandos
Messenger – Šarūnas Zenkevičius
Guard – Marius Čižauskas
Thebans and theatre demons – Arnas Ašmonas, Aurimas Bačinskas, Marius Čižauskas, Balys Ivanauskas, Jovita Jankelaitytė, Adomas Jasiukėnas, Dovilė Kundrotaitė, Gytis Laskovas, Paulius Markevičius, Mantas Zemleckas, Šarūnas Zenkevičius
Producer: Lithuanian National Drama Theatre

Duration: 3 hrs 50 mins (2 intermissions)
Premiere: April 2016


Theban Trilogy:
Act 1 – “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles
Act 2 – “Seven Against Thebes” by Aeschylus, “The Phoenician Women” by Euripides
Act 3 – “Antigone” by Sophocles
In the play, fragments of “Oedipus City” by John von Düffel are used

The Labdacids of Thebes, descendants of king Labdacus, have been marked by a curse, which stands out in the context of the Greek mythology and is related to the very beginning of theatre itself. The Oedipus Myth is a family saga where Oedipus’ sons Polyneices and Eteocles as well as daughters Antigone and Ismene compete against each other. Life of the ruling family is portrayed as full of disasters, faults and frustrations. Violence gives birth to more violence, power sparks jealousy, and fear gives way to fear.
Act 1 recounts the story of Oedipus' decline following the news from the Oracle at Delphi telling that the city of Thebes will recover only when the killer of King Laius is found, to Oedipus catastrophe when he finally understands who the killer actually is.
Act 2 recounts the story of Eteocles and Polynices – sons of Oedipus – fighting for the throne, this is known as the myth of “Seven Against Thebes”. Polynices brings an army of strangers against his own brother and his hometown. The war ends when both brothers die from each other’s hand. Antigone mourns her dead brothers and a suicidal mother.
Act 3 recounts the story of Oedipus' daughter Antigone. Disobeying King Creon's (a new king of Thebes) order, Antigone buries her brother and is sentenced to death. Creon fails to correct his tragic mistake and undergoes a catastrophe.