Review: Inventive Staging and Superb Acting Highlight Odyssey Theatre's OEDIPUS MACHINA

One of the world's oldest plays, "Oedipus" by Sophocles, has survived for centuries and is often considered by many to be the perfect play given its theme, characters, and story development. But could this classic masterpiece be updated into a more contemporary re-telling? Inspired by Ellen Mc Laughlin's adaptation of the Sophocles text, Director Ron Sossi has fabricated a most intense and attention-getting rendition of the Oedipus myth by setting the action in some ancient and mysterious civilization with hints of Egypt, India, Greece, the Incan, or perhaps even something a bit unearthly by using a rotating geodesic dome center stage to represent the intrepid and relentless movement of fate with each character entrance and exit.

The wondrous production at the Odyssey Theater begins the moment you walk into the misty other-worldly atmospheric set designed by Keith Mitchell which, along with the dome and water well, has the blind soothsayer Tiresias perched in a woven swing hanging just above the entrance. A large, clear glass orb hangs above the front row with an image of an ancient warrior, soon identified as slain King Laius, within it. The mood is set for a theatrical experience unlike anything you have seen before when it comes to Greek Tragedy!

OEDIPUS MACHINA stars Joshua Wolf Coleman in the title role, with Martin Rayner as King Creon; Dey Young as Queen Jocasta; Lorinne Vozoff as the blind prophet Tiresias; Brent Christensen as the shepherd; Terry Woodberry as the messenger; and Alan Abelew, Riley Rose Critchlow, J. Carlos Flores, Mariana Montes, Cary Thompson and Tina Van Berckelaer as members of the chorus. The entire ensemble delivers such truthful, angry, and utterly heart-wrenching performances, their intensity will envelop you moment-to-moment as the tragic story unfolds.

It begins when six dirty and tattered Greek chorus members, cleverly disguised from view when you walk into the theater, awake and tell the story of the plague which grips the city of Thebe. The chorus' raggedy wear designed by Audrey Eisner is very reminiscent of the characters from "Waterworld," souls near the end of their existence looking for salvation. Desperate to save his people, King Oedipus enters from his dome to let his people know he sent a messenger to the oracle at Delphi and discovered the city's salvation lies in finding and punishing the murderer of the former king, Laius, who was brutally slain by a stranger at a crossroads years ago. When Oedipus orders a manhunt, he unknowingly sets the wheels of his own destruction in motion.

The multimedia production includes surreal video images designed by Diana Cignoni broadcast on a globe hanging from the ceiling near the audience entrance. An image of a crying baby appears when the unfortunate revelation is made about Oedipus' birth. The tragedy is that Oedipus has become a good man whose fatal flaw appears to be the fact he was born, and fate stepped in through twists and turns to be sure the ominous prediction the innocent baby would one day kill his father and begat children with his mother would come true.

Evocative lighting design by Phillip Powers and sound design by Christopher complete the other-worldly atmosphere surrounding this remarkable production. Ron Sossi has assembled the best, both onstage and behind the scenes, to deliver a brilliant theatrical experience not to be missed.

Performances of OEDIPUS MACHINA take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through July 26 (dark July 4). Additional weeknight performances are scheduled on Wednesday, July 8 at 8 p.m. and on Thursdays at 8 p.m. on July 2, July 16 and July 23. The third Friday of every month is wine night at the Odyssey: enjoy complimentary wine and snacks and mingle with the cast after the show. Tickets are $34. There will be "Tix for $10" performances on Thursday, July 2; and Wednesday, July 8. The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles, 90025. For reservations and information, call (310) 477-2055 or go to www.OdysseyTheatre.com.

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