Oedipus, adapted by Ella Hickson  Performed at the Old Vic, London, from January to March 2025

This winter Sophocles appears to be having a moment in the West End with two back-to-back productions of Oedipus running alongside his less well-known work, Electra. Both these tragedies, written in the fifth century BC portray the complexities of family relationships and touch on matters relating to fate, identity, truth, betrayal, and justice. All three productions are enjoying sell-out performances, so what is it about these plays that speaks to present day audiences?

Ella Hickson's adaptation of Oedipus at the Old Vic, London (21 January– 29 March 2025), starring Rami Malek and Indira Varma, is co-directed by the theatre's artistic director Matthew Warchus, and choreographer Hofesh Shechter. Hickson is recognised for her skill in reinterpreting original themes and characters through a modern lens. In her version of Oedipus she attempts to make the ancient story accessible to modern audiences whilst simultaneously retaining the core elements. Her rendition is set in an undefined time but judging by Oedipus' cream suit and the microphone through which he addresses the people of Thebes, we are probably in early to mid-twentieth century. The plague ravaging Thebes in Sophocles' script is replaced by a drought, and there are clear references to the impact of global warming on water scarcity and its effect on migration. The mounting sense of desolation and despair is emphasised by Tom Visser's lighting as the stark stage is backlit in an ominous dark orange glow redolent of a harsh sun bearing down relentlessly on parched land.

The Oracle's prophecy is delivered through a disembodied and distorted voice emerging from what looks like a 1960s tape recorder. This clever use of modern technology refashions the ancient text for a contemporary audience and creates a sense of distance between the characters and the Oracle. The mechanical nature of the tape recorder also makes it possible to rewind and replay the recorded message, thus symbolising the fixed and unchangeable nat