OEDIPUS Previews- Page 2

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 11/2/25 at 7:18am

If this is a misfire, sign me up for more of them.

[Elisheba Rachel]

Posted: 11/3/25 at 9:57am

Will they make HIPTIX available for this?

[nycward]

Posted: 11/4/25 at 1:10am

Back from tonight's performance and I found the evening to be quite satisfying. Unless you missed High School English you know the parameters of the original plot so it was exciting to see how they created a modern day adaptation. It was a slow burn but as the plot builds and the clock ticks on (in this case literally:) the crescendo is riveting. You can see why it needs to be played without an intermission. It was great to see Mark Strong returning to Broadway since A view From the Bridge and I believe that Lesley Manville is making her broadway debut. I did see her thrilling Olivier winning performance in Ibsen's Ghosts perhaps a decade ago at BAM. They also brought over Anne Reid who I'm not sure that she even played this role in the West End, again making a Broadway debut. I loved her in the series Last Tango in Halifax. I think the rest of the cast are American so it wasn't a complete transfer. Even though it will be gone by February I hope it will be remembered come Tony time. All of the sound issues that were talked about last week have been ironed out and I found it to be a seamless evening. I think it will be a tough ticket once the reviews are out so I'd suggest jumping on it now. There appears to be a Playbill discount this week if you go to the ticket site thru the Playbill listing. 

Updated On: 11/4/25 at 01:10 AM

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/4/25 at 6:11am

Elisheba Rachel said: "Will they make HIPTIX available for this?"

No. It's a rental. Not Roundabout produced.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 11/4/25 at 10:47am

Saw OEDIPUS last night and I have to say it's one of the best things I've ever seen in my life. Absolutely *gripping*. A master class in tension. My heart was pounding out of my chest. Mark Strong is sensational, but Lesley Manville is giving the type of performance that will go down in legend. Her big monologue was...mind blowing.

Not to be missed under ANY circumstance. You will regret not seeing this.

[Owen22]

Posted: 11/4/25 at 3:53pm

nycward said: "They also brought over Anne Reid who I'm not sure that she even played this role in the West End, again making a Broadway debut. I loved her in the series Last Tango in Halifax. I think the rest of the cast are American so it wasn'ta complete transfer. Even though it will be gone by February I hope it will be remembered come Tony time. All of the sound issues that weretalked about last week have been ironed out and I found it to be a seamless evening. I think it will be a tough ticket once the reviews are out so I'd suggest jumping on it now. There appears to be a Playbill discount this week if you go to the ticket site thru the Playbill listing."

She certainly did not play that role in the West end! I may have liked the show a little better if she had even though it is really a nothing part. The only reason to see this is Lesley Manville. It's a not very believable take on a classic, trying to update the plot in an almost smug way. Maybe if you're unfamiliar with the Greek you won't notice how they're trying to eye-rollingly shoe-horn plot points. Also Mark Strong and Lesley Manville do not look that different in age for the ending to really work. 

[inception]

Posted: 11/4/25 at 10:23pm

Looks like this will do well. When The Baker's Wife finally anounced their schedule they didn't have the mid-week matinee I was expecting.  I decided to sacrifice seeing this so I could see that, and had no trouble re-selling my ticket for this at face value a few weeks out.

[sinister teashop]

Posted: 11/5/25 at 12:00pm

Owen22 said: "nycward said: "They also brought over Anne Reid who I'm not sure that she even played this role in the West End, again making a Broadway debut. I loved her in the series Last Tango in Halifax. I think the rest of the cast are American so it wasn'ta complete transfer. Even though it will be gone by February I hope it will be remembered come Tony time. All of the sound issues that weretalked about last week have been ironed out and I found it to be a seamless evening. I think it will be a tough ticket once the reviews are out so I'd suggest jumping on it now. There appears to be a Playbill discount this week if you go to the ticket site thru the Playbill listing."

She certainly did not play that role in the West end! I may have liked the show a little better if she had even though it is really a nothing part. The only reason to see this is Lesley Manville. It's a not very believable take on a classic, trying to update the plot in an almost smug way. Maybe if you're unfamiliar with the Greek you won't notice how they're trying to eye-rollingly shoe-hornplot points. Also Mark Strong and LesleyManville do not look that different in age for the endingto really work."

Agreed

 

Click Here To Toggle Spoiler Content

The actors are all excellent but the adaptation is built towards Jocasta’s big monologue (in a Jeffery Epstein horror mode) and not towards Oedipus’ final blind scene which is bizarrely cut. No blind scene means no catharsis. That might be Icke’s point but if it is then I think it could have been made in a more compelling and lucid way.

 

[Mark_E]

Posted: 11/6/25 at 7:46am

This was excellent last night, loved it in London and so had to see it again here.
Im glad I did, but some very frustrating things took me out of it. A horribly loud squealing hearing aide for the first 15 minutes (could tell it was frustrating a lot of audience members), then the woman behind who kept talking because she didn’t understand the show (she left after 45 mins), a phone going off - we seemed to have it all. And for a show like this - you need silence. 

[gibsons2]

Posted: 11/6/25 at 9:21am

Mark_E said: "This was excellent last night, loved it in London and so had to see it again here.
Im glad I did, but some very frustrating things took me out of it. A horribly loud squealinghearing aide for the first 15minutes (could tell it was frustrating a lot of audience members), then the woman behind who kept talking because she didn’t understand the show (she left after 45 mins), a phone going off - we seemed to have it all. And for a show like this - you need silence."

Is the sound still poor? I bought the ticket in the rear mezz and worry I won't hear anything.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/6/25 at 9:44am

Mark and Lesley will be on Morning Joe on MSNBC in a minute, if anyone’s interested. 

[EmceeHammer]

Posted: 11/6/25 at 10:14am

Mark_E said: "This was excellent last night, loved it in London and so had to see it again here.
Im glad I did, but some very frustrating things took me out of it. A horribly loud squealinghearing aide for the first 15minutes (could tell it was frustrating a lot of audience members), then the woman behind who kept talking because she didn’t understand the show (she left after 45 mins), a phone going off - we seemed to have it all. And for a show like this - you need silence."

This is giving me major anxiety in light of how much I just spent on good tickets. Studio 54 already has terrible ambient noise, rude patrons just make it worse. That venue is not forgiving. This seems like a production that demands total attention to fully work. I'm hoping ticket prices keep rising and the show sells out quickly to keep the uninterested and uninformed locked out. With the way Broadway audience behavior has been degrading over the past 5 years, even premium seats in a sold out theatre on a weeknight doesn't guarantee proper etiquette from those around you. 

(BTW, my BF has no idea what Oedipus is about and doesn't know the twist. I'm hoping he can avoid 2400-year-old spoilers before we see it, because I can't wait to experience his reaction. Hopefully he won't be completely lost and want to leave after 45 minutes.)

[starlightexpress2]

Posted: 11/6/25 at 11:35am

Any news on whether the first few rows would be too close?

[yyys]

Posted: 11/6/25 at 12:07pm

nope, stage is low and there's quite a distance between the stage and the first row (and especially the left and right first rows).  I would pick house right esp for the finale. :)

 

starlightexpress2 said: "Any news on whether the first few rows would be too close?"

 

Updated On: 11/6/25 at 12:07 PM

[Jumpin_J]

Posted: 11/6/25 at 5:48pm

Regarding the sound, the reason for this daring. I hope you're sitting down... they're not using body mics. Like in proper theater. It's something rarely seen nowadays, and I applaud them for that alone. I enjoyed it, though I think the audience took a more immature approach. Yes, we know the story. There's not exactly spoilers in a 2000 year old play. But some members were laughing, perhaps at the uncomfortable situations. Thankfully most came to their senses near the end of the play. I also saw The Boy, a two-part play at the Abbey Theater in Dublin last month which was a five hour telling of Oedipus and had all the gravitas classic literature deserves with equally solid performances. No one was laughing. It was gripping drama. I wish American audiences had that kind of maturity.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 11/9/25 at 2:14am

The cast is most definitely amplified. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/9/25 at 10:20am

Sorry to bother with a seating question but I have the option of Orchestra Row A seat 1 Or Row A seat 2. Is one side better than the other for this production?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/9/25 at 10:23am

If I’m remembering right from the west end, if I had to choose one side I’d choose audience right. 

Updated On: 11/9/25 at 10:23 AM

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/9/25 at 10:38am

Jordan Catalano said: "If I’m remembering right from the west end, if I had to choose one side I’d choose audience right."

Thanks. Appreciate it. :)

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 11/9/25 at 11:16am

I’d actually say house left/stage right because of the massive entry way and the dinner scene. It won’t matter much either way, but I’d say more action happens there. 

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/9/25 at 12:10pm

Play Esq. said: "I’d actually say house left/stage right because of the massive entry way and the dinner scene. It won’t matter much either way, but I’d say more action happens there."

I ended up grabbing house right but appreciate the info as well. :)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 11/12/25 at 11:16pm

I’d been praying nothing would be lost in a transfer and amazingly it’s only gotten stronger. It’s honest to God one of the most perfect things I’ve ever seen in the theater. For two hours you could hear a pin drop in Studio 54. This is a show I’d recommend sitting as close as you can to the stage (if you’re able to). Seeing these actors up close is worth every penny and more. 

[MezzA101]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 9:20am

Watch Lesley Manville and Mark Strong of Broadway’s ‘Oedipus’ Go Head-to-Head

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/t-magazine/lesley-manville-mark-strong-oedipus.html?unlocked_article_code=1.008.XHeQ.F0Xxuq6qQfhS&smid=nytcore-android-share

[MadsonMelo]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 11:08am

Wondering if Lesley Manville can win the Tony even with the show closed.

[Kad]

Posted: 11/13/25 at 11:17am

MadsonMelo said: "Wondering if Lesley Manville can win the Tony even with the show closed."

It certainly happens if the performance is undeniable and there isn’t strong competition. Julie White won for Little Dog Laughed in 2007, which flopped hard and closed in February of that year.