Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex ("King Oedipus") is the commonly used Latin title for Οἰδίπους Τύραννος ("Oedipous Tyrrannous" or "Oedipus the Tyrant") a Classic Greek tragedy by Sophocles (c. 497/6–406/5 BC)[1]. It is also referred to as Oedipus Tyrrannus

See also Classical Theatre in South Africa

The Original Text

Oedipus Rex was first performed in the original around 429 BC in the Theatre of Dionysus, Athens, It was one of three plays dealing with the house of Laius and the city of Thebes, often referred to as Sophocles's Theban Plays. Though the second to be written, the play is actually the first in terms of the chronology of events that the plays describe - and is followed by Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone.

In his Poetics, Aristotle uses the play as his prime example of a Greek tragedy.

Translations

The play has been translated into virtually all languages.

Among the numerous English translations since Thomas Francklin's 1759 attempt, are well-known versions by Gilbert Murray (1911), W. B. Yeats (1928), H. D. F. Kitto (1962), Anthony Burgess, (1972) and George Theodoridis (2005).

Translated into Afrikaans prose as Koning Oidipus by L.J. du Plessis and published by J.L. van Schaik, Pretoria in 1928.

Translated into Afrikaans by Theo Wassenaar as Koning Oidipus and published in 1938 by the Voortrekkerpers, Joahnnesburg. This Afrikaans text says "vertolk deur", i.e. it had been "interpreted by", Wassenaar.

Performance history in South Africa

1927: Performed in Afrikaans as Koning Oidipus by students of the Potchefstroom University College, using the L.J. du Plessis translation.

1938: Performed in Afrikaans as Koning Oidipus (the Theo Wassenaar version) by Volksteater, Pretoria. The performance took place in the main hall of the City Hall, Pretoria, 9-10 June 1938, and was directed by Isobel de Waal, with H.J. Oberholzer as Oidipus and Anna Neethling-Pohl as Iocasta. Set designed and painted by J.H. Pierneef and S. Schwartz, and costumes by Anna Botha. There were also four "toneelmeesters" (i.e. "stage managers"): W.P. de Villiers, Chris Neethling, A.J. du Plessis and S. Schwartz.

1955: The Wassenaar version of Koning Oidipus was performed professionally by National Theatre Organisation for the Pretoria Centenary celebrations. Directed by Johan de Meester, with André Huguenet and Anna Neethling-Pohl in the lead. Also featuring Francois Marais, Roelof Botha, Ben Cronjé, Andries Brink, Johan van Rensburg, Jannie Gildenhuys, Hannes Horne, Leendert Verdoorn. Décor and costumes by Frank Graves and lighting by Harry Ligoff.

Adaptations and influences of the original text

The play has served as the basis for many adaptations and experiments over the years, both local and international.

It has also been immortalized in a way by Freud's concept of the "Oedipus complex"[2].

Oedipus by Aeschylus

According to surviving records, Aeschylus won first prize at the City Dionysia with a trilogy about the House of Laius in 467 BC. One part of the trilogy was a play about Oedipus. However, we know only know about it by reputation, as no text is extant.

Oedipus by Seneca

Oedipus (Oidipus) is a tragic play that was written by Lucius Annaeus Seneca at some time during the 1st century AD. It is a retelling of the story of Oedipus, as told in Oedipus the King by the Athenian playwright, Sophocles. It is written in Latin and was not intended to be performed, but rather recited at private gatherings.

Oedipus by Ted Hughes

The English poet laureate Ted Hughes published a translation of Seneca's play in 1969.

This version of the play was presented by PACT Drama in 1971 in the Arena of the State Theatre under the direction of Schalk Jacobsz starring Jan Engelen, Joan Friedman, Frantz Dobrowsky, Nigel Vermaas, Marion Craig-Smith, Stephan Bouwer, Noel Roos and Will Bernard, choreographed by Francois Swart.

In 1980 the adaptation by Hughes was staged at the Baxter Theatre, directed by Barney Simon. The cast included Danny Keogh, Grethe Fox, Michael O'Brien, Joko Scott, Thoko Ntshinga, Richard Grant, Linda Harris, (Fiona Ramsay?) (and Robin Smith?).

A translation into Afrikaans by Noël Roos, Libé Ferreira and Johann van Heerden of this version, entitled Oidipus, was directed by Roos for the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department in October 1982, starring Albert Maritz, Libé Ferreira, Belinda Richardson, Antoinette Pienaar, Nicola van der Walt, Trudi Huskisson, Michelle Alberts, Isadora Verwey and Ilze Swanepoel.

Oedipus by Hugo Claus

Based on Seneca's Oedipus, translated into Afrikaans by Wim Vorster. Presented by SUKOVS Toneel in 1990, performed in the André Huguenet Theatre, Bloemfontein. Direction was by Jannie Gildenhuys, decor designed by Johnny Boerstoel, costumes by James Parker and lighting by Martin Pelser. Members of the cast were Gerben Kamper, Isadora Verwey, Cobus de Villiers, Ernst Eloff, Dorette Nel, James van Helsdingen, Marga van Rooy, Christo Compion, Marion Holm, Hennie Baird.

Oidipoes by Ben Dehaeck

A one-act version of the Oedipus story. **

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_the_King

https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lys_van_vertalings_in_Afrikaans

P.J. Conradie, 1999

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_(Seneca)

Helikon, 5(21), 1955.

Source: Barrow, Brian & Williams-Short, Yvonne (eds.). 1988. Theatre Alive! The Baxter Story 1977-1987.

Oedipus theatre programmes, PACT, 1971, 1990.

B. van Zyl Smit 2003 "The Receptions of Greek Tragedy in the 'Old' and the 'New' South Africa" in Akroterion 48 : 3-20)[3]

Betine van Zyl Smit. 2010. "Oedipus and Afrikaans Theater" in Comparative Drama (Vol. 44, No. 4: pp. 477-493)[4]

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