OEDIPUS
by Sophocles in a version by Frank McGuinness
Rehearsals
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Oedipus is a play for today.
In the last year, there have been two major new productions of the play in the West End and its themes seem more apt now than at any time in recent history.
The play is set during a time of social unrest and division. A plague threatens the lives of millions of ordinary people, and whilst outside civil unrest builds, political leaders are partying - playing out their petty squabbles in luxurious comfort.
In our production, we have split the role of the King Oedipus into 5: A UK Prime Minister and members of his (all male) cabinet. Mystical visionaries for us became political advisors and civil servants, and our chorus embody the political divide: the haves and the hand-nots.
Through our rehearsal process we have been considering key questions, formed from former US Secretary of State for Defence, Donald Rumsfeld’s famous speech about the supply of weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups1:
…as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns— the ones we don’t know we don’t know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tends to be the difficult ones.
For us, the question of known unknowns has occupied much of our rehearsal discussion. What do people know in Oedipus? And what does this mean for those who know, and those who don’t; those who don’t know they don’t know…
What if Jocasta knows (how could she not know) that Oedipus, her husband and father of her children, is in fact the son she had taken away to be killed 30+ years previous to the action of the play? And if she does know, what are the political implications for this cover-up? And what lengths would she go to, to protect her own and her husband-son’s political careers?
Dr Tim Coker, Director
1“Defense.gov News Transcript: DoD News Briefing – Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers”. United States Department of Defense. February 12, 2002. Archived from the original on April 6, 2016.
Donald Rumsfeld’s KNOWN UNKNOWNS applied to Oedipus
•Oedipus begins his search for the murderer of Laius with a clear objective: find the culprit and end the plague. He knows that there is a murderer, a known unknown, but he is unaware of the murderer’s identity.
•As information moves us closer to the realm of known unknowns – truths Oedipus subconsciously knows but refuses to accept –Oedipus repeatedly dismisses the evidence that is presented to him, blinded by pride and a desire to maintain power.
•Teiresias, the blind prophet, possesses knowledge that Oedipus desperately seeks but is initially unwilling to accept. Teiresias embodies known knowns, possessing a clear understanding of Oedipus’s true identity and crimes.
•Only at the end of the play, when all the pieces of the puzzle have fallen into place, does Oedipus finally confront the devastating reality of his situation. This realisation shifts from a state of
unknown knowns to a state of known knowns albeit at a terrible cost.
•Oedipus’s political allies and adversaries begin equally unaware of the terrible truths that will out during the action of the play. Their position of ignorance, of unknown unknowns – not knowing that they don’t know what horrors have occurred in the past – creates a dramatic irony in the play which build inevitably towards the play’s final coup and tragedy.
•Rumsfeld’s speech and the play Oedipus Rex both highlight the complexities of knowledge and the challenges of confronting difficult truths. The play suggests that sometimes the most difficult truths to accept are those that lie hidden within ourselves. Like Oedipus, we may resist acknowledging these known unknowns until they are forcefully revealed, often with devastating consequences.
SUMMARY
Oedipus Rex is a tragedy. It explores themes of fate, free will, the pursuit of truth, and the complexities of sight and blindness. The play begins with with a nation ravaged by a plague. Oedipus vows to find the cause and save Thebes. Creon, Oedipus’s brotherin-law, returns from a meeting with the Oracle of Delphi with a chilling message: the plague will end only when the murderer of the former king, Laius, is found and punished.
Determined to find the culprit, Oedipus launches an inquiry. The blind prophet Teiresias reveals Oedipus’s patricide and incest, but Oedipus, blind to the truth, accuses Teiresias and Creon of treachery. Jocasta, Oedipus’s wife, tries to calm the situation by dismissing the prophecies as nonsense, thus protecting their political careers and control of power.
The arrival of a messenger from Corinth brings news of Polybus’s death, Oedipus’s supposed father. While relieved he didn’t kill Polybus, Oedipus still fears the prophecy of marrying his mother. The messenger, trying to alleviate Oedipus’s fears,
reveals that Polybus and Merope were not Oedipus’s real parents. He found Oedipus as a baby on Mount Kithairon. Oedipus, desperate to hide his true parentage, interrogates a shepherd who confirms Jocasta gave him the baby.
The devastating truth made public: Oedipus killed Laius, his father, and married Jocasta, his mother. Jocasta hangs herself, and Oedipus, in despair, gouges out his own eyes. Now physically blind but possessing a deeper understanding, Oedipus’s fate lies in the hands of the people, as his own personal tragedy concludes, the next cycle begins with his children doomed to meet their own tragic fates and the story of Antigone begins.
CAST AND CREATIVES
Cast
Chloe Beynon Chorus
Fleur Topham Chorus
Sammy Wakayu Chorus
Amelia Piotrowska Chorus
Esther Olayemi Chorus
Alfie Fowler Chorus
Alex Morgan Chorus
Yasmin Woo Chorus
Vivien Zhang Chorus
Jane Mizakova Chorus
Daria Shutikova Chorus
Ayomide Ogunlesi Chorus
Max Osiatynski Chorus
Nell Hornett Chorus
Sophie Chan Chorus
Izzy Planells Pitti Chorus
Mary Meraiyebu Chorus
John Musukuma Chorus
Louisa Roberts Chorus/Singer
Billy Wright Evans Chorus/Singer/Speaker of the House
Finn Coker
Piano
Harry Westlake Drums
Raphael Abreu Guitar
Freddy Cawdron Creon, Opposition Leader
Skye Maillot Jocasta, wife to the Prime Minister
Harnek Sahota Chancellor Of the Exchequer
Robbie RobinsonBaker Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Raman Mann Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Kalil Naziu
Prime Minister
Albie Tuckwell
Foreign Secretary
Mily Zhang
Archbishop
Alex Bonsall
Special Adviser to the Prime Minister
Zbigniew Kawczynski
Creatives & Crew
Tim Coker Director
Ellen Finlay
Movement Director
Stephanie Huang
Stage Crew
Florence Zhao
Stage Crew
Special Adviser to the Chancellor
Gabriella Hawker
Junior Special Adviser
Toby Davies Shepherd/Chorus
Elsa Melia
Tiresias Consultant
Celia Duffy
Tiresias Consultant
Daisy Donne
Tiresias Consultant
Lily-Rose Pitcher
Tiresias Consultant
Finn Coker
Musical Director and Composer
Maggie Poszewiecka
Stage Manager
Mark Watts
Head Technician and
Lighting Design
Kyle Arrowsmith Technician
Amie Johnson
Theatre Manager
Rugby School Levée Front of House
Amelia Barton
Stage Crew
Natalya Madhvani
Stage Crew
Alfie Turner
Stage Crew
Penny FawdryJeffries
Stage Crew
Theo Taylor
Stage Crew
Otto Lloyd-Baker
Stage Crew
Iona Gilroy
Stage Crew
Rosanna Nealon
Stage Crew
Annabelle Wilson Backstage Crew
Tilly Measures
Backstage Crew
REHEARSAL NOTES
During rehearsals, we created a series of notes; reflections on the logic and complex connections between truth, knowledge and action in the play.
We have worked collaboratively with the student company throughout the rehearsal process, making best us of the ‘hive mind’ from our large ensemble cast to generate narratives and ‘truths’ for every character on stage. This key element of the rehearsal process has been led by two student assistant directors, Billy Wright-Evans and Louisa Roberts who have helped develop individual backstories for all members of the chorus. The process-driven approach to the development of the play’s key themes and stylistic choices also, importantly, included our stage manager, Maggie Poszewiecka and Musical Director, Finn Coker who have been present at every rehearsal, creating the visual and aural ‘spaces’ in which the play’s story is told. From complex, rapid scene changes to the haunting musical variations on Radiohead’s ‘No Surprises’ which feature throughout the play, the input from the students on stage and behind the scenes has been integral to the production’s and company’s core values of playfulness and team care.
death, which will be made to look like a suicide.
Raman is less intelligent than Harnek and owes his position to connections made at boarding school. He is an ally to and dependent on Oedipus.
Robbie is deeply loyal to Oedipus possibly due to a past favour.
Robbie, a former professional rugby player, turned commentator with a history of scandals, was rescued from career ruin by his friend Oedipus.
He is a bit of a party animal!
Albie is opportunistic and quick to switch allegiances, aligning himself with Creon, suggesting his own
idea of trust within their relationship.
TIMELINE
Oedipus and Political Scandals throughout History
429 BCE: Sophocles writes Oedipus Rex (Greece)
441 BCE: Sophocles writes Antigone (Greece)
44 BCE: Julius Caesar’s Assassination (Rome)
Failures in diplomatic communication, fuel the Franco-Prussian War. A scandal which reflects how deception can spark national crisis.
1919: The Teapot Dome Scandal (USA)
Julius Caesar’s dismissal of the Senate leads to his murder, symbolising the tension between ambition and moral responsibility in leadership.
1534: The Affair of the Placards (France)
Anti-Catholic propaganda criticises King Francis I, who then violently suppresses the Protestant Reformation. Leadership’s moral failings and religious strife echo Oedipus’s struggles with truth and dissent.
1773: Boston Tea Party (Colonial America)
British taxation policies spark outrage, reflecting the disconnect between rulers and the ruled—a theme central to Oedipus’s ignorance of Thebes’s suffering.
1816: The Ems Dispatch Incident (France and Prussia)
During the Harding administration, Albert Fall leases federal oil reserves to private companies in exchange for bribes. This incident erodes public trust, similar to how Oedipus’s hidden truths erode his credibility as a political leader.
1963: The Profumo Affair (UK) Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, has an affair with Christine Keeler, a woman linked to a suspected Soviet spy. The subsequent cover-up causes a major scandal, showcasing how personal misconduct can destabilise governments.
1972: Watergate Scandal (USA)
President Richard Nixon’s administration covers up a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. The unravelling of lies mirrors Oedipus’s eventual discovery of his own guilt.
1998: Monica Lewinsky Scandal (USA)
President Bill Clinton’s affair and subsequent perjury highlights the connection between personal and public accountability, resonating with Oedipus’s personal failings impacting his rule.
2003: Iraq War and the “Dodgy Dossier” (UK)
The UK government, under Tony Blair, justifies the invasion of Iraq based on questionable intelligence about weapons of mass destruction.
2016: Panama Papers (Global)
Leaked documents expose the offshore financial dealings of world leaders and elites. The revelations sparked public outrage and resonate with the idea of concealed truths causing widespread harm, as seen in Oedipus Rex.
2022: Partygate Scandal (UK)
During COVID-19 lockdowns, UK government officials, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson, are found to
have hosted parties in violation of their own rules. The hypocrisy and erosion of public trust reflect themes of accountability and moral blindness in Oedipus Rex.
About Macready Theatre
Proudly owned and operated by Rugby School, Macready Theatre is a performing arts venue dedicated to showcasing world-class performances and inspiring community arts projects. It is also home to Rugby School’s Department of Theatre & Performing Arts.
Situated in the heart of Rugby, the Macready is a space where the School and the town come together to celebrate creativity.
As part of Rugby School’s commitment to supporting the local community, the School makes no profit from ticket sales to any of its professional programme, ensuring the focus remains on enriching Rugby’s cultural life.
Whether you’re a lifelong arts enthusiast or visiting for the first time, we warmly invite you to explore all that the Macready Theatre has to offer.
Discover more at www.macreadytheatre.co.uk
WHAT’S ON at the Macready Theatre
THEATRE
- DANCE - COMEDY - MUSIC - SPOKEN WORD
January
Thursday 9 Creative Industries Event
Friday 24 Pizza and Jazz
Saturday 25 Manford’s Comedy Club
Sunday 26 Why I Stuck a Flare Up My A**e For England
Monday 27 Why I Stuck a Flare Up My A**e For England
February
Tuesday 11 Oedipus Rex
Wednesday 12 Oedipus Rex
Thursday 13 Oedipus Rex
Friday 14 Gin and Jive
Saturday 15 Hidden Powers
Sunday 16 Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers
Wednesday 19 BYOB Comedy
Thursday 20 Hold On To Your Butts
Friday 21 Hold On To Your Butts
Friday 21 Sip & Paint
March
Monday 3 A-Level Scripted Showcase
Tuesday 4 A-Level Scripted Showcase
Wednesday 12 Mia and the Fish
Thursday 13 Mia and the Fish
Friday 14 Truly, Madly, Baroque
Saturday 15 Manford’s Comedy Club
Thursday 20 LAMDA Showcase
Monday 24 Roshni
Saturday 29 Edy Hurst’s Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Himself
April
Friday 4 BYOB Comedy
Friday 4 Pizza and Jazz
Sunday 6 The Frog & The Princess
Friday 11 The Comedy String Quartet
Monday 14 Do Not Play This Piano
Thursday 17 Rabbits out of the Hat
Monday 28 A-Level Devised Showcase
Tuesday 29 A-Level Devised Showcase
May
Friday 9 Sip & Paint
Saturday 10 Manford’s Comedy Club
Thursday 22 Dance Showcase
Friday 23 Gin and Jive
Thursday 29 Cinderella Ice Cream Seller
Friday 30 Cinderella Ice Cream Seller
June
Thursday 5 LAMDA Showcase
Saturday 21 – Wednesday 25 June 2025 Festival on The Close
