Who Is Sophocles Oedipus The King?

In the British Broadcasting Channel’s production of The Theban Plays of Sophocles, “Oedipus the King,” director Don Taylor masterfully interprets and condenses Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. Not only is the acting superb, but the symbolic costuming also creates a double meaning to the overall production. Taylor’s rendition both accepts and challenges the Greek drama’s traditional production guidelines, thereby provoking the emergence of historical criticism and irony. As for the overall quality of this production, Taylor’s “Oedipus the King” is wonderfully and masterfully done. Michael Pennington, staring as Oedipus, does such an incredible job portraying the transition from Oedipus’ stubborn side as he refuses to believe the oracle’s prophecy to his eventual realization that he did in fact kill his own father. Though the emotions during that kind of a realization are almost unimaginable, Pennington’s expressions and gestures give a most realistic portrayal of such a horrifying epiphany. When choosing an actress for Jocasta, Taylor has an actual woman and not a man play Oedipus’ wife. Claire Bloom, starring as Jocasta, also does a marvelous job portraying her character’s unimaginable emotions and reactions found in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. When Jocasta …show more content…
Taylor still has all the action take place on one stage, and no violence is ever shown on the stage as well. His play also contains musical elements that closely replicate the background music directors would have used in traditional Greek dramas. Thus, when it comes to setting and background elements, Taylor takes the more traditional approach; when it comes to characterization and physical appearance, however, Taylor strives to invoke a different atmosphere and criticism that could not have been portrayed within the guidelines of a traditional Greek