OEDIPUS Reviews — Page 2

Saw this today and wow. Icke's adaptation moves like a freight train, wonderfully physical staging.

And those performances! From 90-year-old Anne Reid (who stage doored!) to one of my favorite character actors John Carroll Lynch

Of course, the two leads are superb. Strong is a brilliant protagonist and Manville's final monologue brings down the house.

Jordan Catalano said: "Did Lesley Manville happen to stage door?"

I was there tonight (posting my thoughts soon). I was told that her and Mark regularly do so, but on two show days, it’s not likely, especially Saturday nights since that’s when their week ends and they tend to spend hours with guests) The guards did inform us that it was kosher to come back at a later date though (which I’ll do since it was a wee soggy when I got out anyway).

i was there tonight. im bummed i didnt love it as much as everyone else did.

kudos to Icke, because its a wildly inventive adaptation, well written. and the cast is as good as everyone says. Manville is great, but i thought Mark Strong was actually more breathtaking. (John Carroll Lynch is such a talent, Id love to see him in a meatier role). The set, sound effects, everything was seamless and well executed. No notes.

Except that because we know this story going in, there is no twist or surprise, and the play hews close enough to the original story that I found myself impatient waiting for plot turns that I knew were coming (and devices that were just obvious from the jump, even though they were modern inventions). And Icke does SUCH a good job plopping these people and this story into the modern era that some of the plot points, while necessary, dont make a ton of sense. i have no idea what that ending was, either.

maybe an intermission would help, but the plot really doesnt allow for it, so hard to gripe. i was restless but still impressed.

packed house, it seemed. noticeably somber bows--reminded me of Sunset Blvd with actors staying in character.

With ‘Oedipus,’ Robert Icke’s Radical Vision Comes to Broadway

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/theater/oedipus-play-broadway.html?unlocked_article_code=1.108.3TYw.AaJD8_MCF0La&smid=nytcore-android-share

VernonGersch said: "A Must See - do whatever you can to grab a ticket - and the closer to the stage the better.

With that being said, Ms. Manville was none too pleased with folks filming the curtain call. She gestured quite strongly for those two folks to put their iPhones down during bows. And the looks she was giving one particular gentlemen as the final curtain fell, daggers.

An incredible, riveting piece of theater that MUST be seen."

I must be losing my mind as I am sure I read this a couple of days ago on here as I recall the Manville shooting daggers comment..

Updated On: 11/25/25 at 10:47 AM

Huss417 said: "VernonGersch said: "A Must See - do whatever you can to grab a ticket - and the closer to the stage the better.

With that being said, Ms. Manville was none too pleased with folks filming the curtain call. She gestured quite strongly for those two folks to put their iPhones down during bows. And the looks she was giving one particular gentlemen as the final curtain fell, daggers.

An incredible, riveting piece of theater that MUST be seen."

I must be losing my mind as I am sure I read this a couple of days ago on here as I recall the Manville shooting daggers comment.."

There was at least one post about it on Reddit last week:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1oys6hl/go_see_oedipus_but_maybe_leave_your_phone_in_your

And someone just posted an hour ago that they've seen it four times and she's glared at people filming four times:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1p6f038/oedipus_fyi_if_you_are_in_the_first_few_rows_do

I bought a cheaper ticket for Orch Row K - last seat on the right. Is my view going to be super obstructed? It wasn't listed partial view but I'm nervous I'm going to miss a lot. Also - is this seat up against the wall or is there any room to stick my legs out to the side?

Lot666 said: "FANtomFollies said: "I bought a cheaper ticket for Orch Row K - last seat on the right. Is my view going to be super obstructed? It wasn't listed partial view but I'm nervous I'm going to miss a lot. Also - is this seat up against the wall or is there any room to stick my legs out to the side?"

I have no actual experience with the specificseat in question, but I can't imagine your view will be obstructed. However, it may be fairly skewed because Studio 54 is sort of wide and flat, so you will be viewing the show from an angle. The entire show takes place in one set, there are no set pieces that block the view from either side, and there isn't much in the way of action that would make either side preferable."

Ok thanks! I'm kind of scarred for life from sitting in a similar side seat for 'Appropriate' and I could only see half the stage and none of the upper level of the set.

FANtomFollies said: "So....I really enjoyed this and found the acting to be fantastic. My one complaint was for the last 15-20 min before the big 'realization' I just couldn't help but thinking, how do they not 'get it' yet? How have they not figured it out? Are they idiots? I know we are meant to have figured it out before them, but it just seemed to completely undermine the tension by making me view these characters as very slow. They still nailed the ending and it was agreat evening at the theater.

Oh and a question - was there quiet music playing for almost the entire show? I was seated all the way on the side and didn't know if it was coming from the street or it was part of the sound design."

1) TL;DR - it’s not the revelation, but the journey to it that makes this production tick.

I actually talked with Mark Strong at the stage door last night about this (great guy by the way!). Considering the play has been around for more than 2,400 years and the title is synonymous with sex with a matriarchal figure, the play does lean into the audience knowing that key aspect of the story with the occasional nod, but ultimately it is all about the journey that gets us there. The motif of a modern political thriller and the use of a real time countdown that isn’t just synchronous with the election results, but also the major revelation, serves as an effective vehicle for ratcheting up the tension. Oedipus has no idea about basically his entire origin and had no reason to question it until those around him made it clear something was up. Each revelation peeled away another layer of Oedipus’ curated personal identity until he goes mad since he doesn’t know who he is anymore as he’s about to gain all of this political power.

2) Likely some outside traffic. I didn’t hear the TVs on the set have volume. Also, the dead air really makes the tension more palpable

Lesley is as good as everyone says. Mark is equal to her at every beat and deserves just as much acclaim.

This is really a special event!

Maybe this is terrible of me, but I felt like the play was going somewhere with the gay son liking someone and the other brother breaking up with his girlfriend while their father kept saying “as long as you’re happy” to the gay son. Maybe that’s just because I was preparing myself for the “Oedipus” of it all.

Updated On: 11/30/25 at 05:00 PM

FANtomFollies said: "Another random thought/question - was there a point in make his son gay? I'm happy for queer representation wherever I can get it...

Yes, thank goddess for Scott Bessent and George Santos.

EDSOSLO858 said: "Lesley Manville is out tonight, so Denise Cormier will be making her Jocasta debut."

curious to hear if Manville is out today.