Oedipus The King -- Part 8/12

Part of "Oedipus the King" from 1984 TV production with Michael Pennington, Claire Bloom and John Shrapnel. Translated and directed by the late
Don Taylor.

here's a playlist with all these Oedipus videos in order:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=422B4AD5E82BE89A

from John O'Connor's review in New York Times (1988):

Mr. Marks [producer] has explained: ''What we wanted was to find a way for authentic Sophocles to speak directly to viewers in such a way that the two and a half millennia dividing us would melt away. They should be able to see into his mind as he uncannily still seems to see into ours.''

Rather than attempting authentic recreations with masks and so forth, this series aims for an ''indeterminate feel'' in setting and costuming. David Myercough-Jones has designed a spare, misty arena outside the gates to the king's palace. June Hudson's costumes are plucked from different historical periods, elegant empire gowns for Jocasta, barrister robes for the chorus, a white silk suit for Oedipus.

The concept works. ''Oedipus the King,'' unfolding like some eternal mystery, is powerful. Its characters are archetypes embedded in our psyches, filling us with wonder even as we shudder. And the cast is about as good as you'll get nowadays.

..... Television, it seems, is offering the best theater in town at the moment.

Directed by
Don Taylor

Writing credits:

Sophocles play
Don Taylor translation

Cast

Michael Pennington ... Oedipus Rex
Claire Bloom ... Jocasta
Michael Byrne ... Chorus
Cyril Cusack ... Priest

Ernest Clark ... Chorus
David Collings ... Chorus
Donald Eccles ... Chorus
Robert Eddison ... Chorus
Edward Hardwicke... Chorus
Denys Hawthorne ... Chorus
Noel Johnson ... Chorus
Clifford Rose ... Chorus
Alan Rowe ... Chorus
Nigel Stock ... Chorus
John Woodnutt ... Chorus

Norman Rodway ... Corinthian Messenger
David Waller ... Shepherd


Produced by
Louis Marks

Original Music by
Derek Bourgeois

Film Editing by
Dave Hambelton

Production Design by
David Myerscough-Jones

Costume Design by
Jane Hudson

Other crew
Geoffrey Lewis .... classical advisor

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Oedipus
• MichaelPennington
• Sophocles
• ClaireBloom
• DavidWaller

[afaraEfrigDmori]

this is awesome. when we studied this in school i didn`t get a thing and now it all makes sense to me. thanx a lot for uploading. u should put more thing like this here:D thx good work :x

[Tolly12bells]

"Your ankles are still swollen, Oedipus. I now becvause I can magically see through horrid white pants"

[0alifish0]

oh my god this is hilarious. the chorus is a bunch of old dudes! whaaaa! :D <3 love it

[LynchAnnie]

Is Oedipus actually a retard..? The guy spelled it out for him and Jocasta's reaction added to that.. And he's still going around with a big smiley head on himself with no clue..! Incestuous dumbass..!!

[tinawerewolfgirl]

chorus cracks me up

[tinawerewolfgirl]

E-DI-PUSS!

you can't imagine what i thought in the last syllable.

[Keim4ever]

Honestly I actually like the fact that Oedipus actually wears a suit. I keeps me entertained.

Thank you for uploading this series.

[koenan1]

"My wife is too scared of her blue blood!" The irony is so twisted and rich. Well done, Sophocles!

[aabceacba]

And Jocasta's just standing there, thinking, "Oh shit."

[marcomariaz26]

@Hgirl4011 tragedy is wrought with irony.

[marcomariaz26]

this play is goofy. the presentation is the wrong time period. no one wore suits then. lol...

[rsboy5]

0:26 shit i just knocked up my son x.x