By: Stela Mišković

Unlike the majority of other modern interpretations of Sophocles’ „Oedipus Rex“ in which, precisely for modernity’s sake, there is an evident attempt to deflect from the very being of ancient tragedy, from the fatal connection between the character and Fate, i.e. Gods as symbols of inevitability, Diego de Brea’s interpretation is actually relying on that fatum. On hubris and hamartia. What’s ahead of us, is ahead of us and there is nothing we can do about it. Bearing in mind that this performance was being staged at the time of a global fear of an unknown plague – the coronavirus, this interpretation in itself seems to be the only proper one. However, the performance is not void of modernity. Through ancient verses, we hear the intimate questions coming from off-stage, „Is there anything you would like to know? What gives you excitement? What makes you sad? Has the best moment of your life already passed or is it yet to come? What’s out of your control?“ As for the choice of music, it ranges from „Kad ja pođoh na Bembašu“ (Eng. When I went to Bembaša) and „Moja mala nema mane“ (Eng. My girl has no flaws) to industrial music and Eruption’s „One Way Ticket“. The cohesion between the stage that was designed in a minimalist manner, with predominant black and white tones and with a significant amount of blood that’s being unsparingly shed (Diego de Brea), the remarkably matched costumes (Blagoj Micevski) and the design of lighting that is predominantly dimmed, suggesting nighttime and darkness inside and out (Moamer Šaković) – contributes to a dense metaphoricity and an absolute dominance of the distinct, associative visual quality of this play.

The plot of Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is essentially followed to the letter, with some significant abridgements and compressions.  Reducing the vast space that the chorus occupies has simplified the following of the plot and reduced Oedipus Rex to the essence and idea of De Brea’s interpretation.

It is remarkable that the tension of the performance is on a high level from the very beginning, the roughness of movement and all relationships is emphasized, whilst the aggressiveness of expression dominates to the point of discomfort, but then we come to realize that the intention is to portray the characters’ emotions, their inner turmoil and states of mind through physical action. The manifestation of pain, despair and fear through physical aggression as a theatrical solution which is known to us from real life.  

Semantically significant is the moment when a white lamb is brought out on the stage (Oedipus was raised by a shepherd and he is also becoming a sacrificial lamb) – once at the beginning as an announcement and then at the end when Oedipus is blinded. Oedipus does not blind himself, a butcher does it for him while the lamb gets disemboweled at the same time. That drift from the original text, the butcher executing the deed, alludes to the fact that essentially we have no control whatsoever over things. It would have been too great an act of freedom for Oedipus to be allowed to seal his own fate.

Preferring the truth at all costs and taking responsibility regardless of consequences are virtues that adorn Oedipus (Dino Bajrović).  Acquiescing to the inevitable fate seems the only logical course and the only possible choice. Oedipus is not shown here as a representative of Authority but as one of us, with hubris on his back, prepared to suffer as it it the only option. With temeperament and yet in a very sophisticated manner, Dino Bajrović pursues to build his role and delivers a powerful, modern, authoritative and tragical Oedipus. The only woman in the play, Mediha Musliović, embodies Iocasta with her powerful individuality and impressive skill. Izudin Bajrović is very convincing as Tiresias, whilst the remaining cast members contribute to the quality of this performance in a stylistically balanced manner.

We may conclude that this interpretation of „Oedipus Rex“ belongs to the heterogenous field of modern theater due to its flexibility of character set-up, its stylized play, the impression of spatial ambience (the stage has an „industrial“ look). This is an exciting and very peculiar performance which treats the brutality of ancient myths as inevitability, thereby offering a number of important ideas in the context of the issue of responsibility, attempting to review and deconstruct the myth of man’s unconditional freedom of choice.