Life would be more exciting and colorful if one always had a Greek chorus commenting on one's deeds and the colorful and musical Mexican culture of Southern California is a good fit here in the Boston Court's production of Oedipus El Rey. Playwright Luis Alfaro has taken Sophocles' classic tragedy, "Oedipus Rex," and set it in North Kern State Prison and the Pico-Union area of Los Angeles. This new play, "Oedipus el Rey" is part of a national new play network world premiere--translated that means it is a world premiere, but Pasadena's Boston Court isn't the only place where the play is opening. The production, under the direction of Jon Lawrence Rivera, picks up the musical rhythms and aggressive vibes of the area for a powerful 90-minute production.
If you're not familiar with that area, according to the 2000 census, it was only 2.2 percent white and 3.8 percent black or African American. The vast majority of the population, 92 percent, were Latino or Hispanic of all races. Of the Latinos, the population is ethnic Mexican, Guatamalan, Salvadoran and Honduran. The gangs are reportedly transnational.
Alfaro has changed the story somewhat. There is only one female character, Jocasta (Marlene Forte).
"Oedipus el Rey" begins with a man (Leandro Cano) getting bad news: His son (Justin Huen) will kill him. That might have been the norm before and about the time of Sophocles, but not in modern Los Angeles. He sends him away with his trusted friend, Tiresias (Winston J. Rocha), to kill the child. In the original, the child was given to a shepherd. Oedipus grows up, in and out of detention centers and prison and takes shelter with a friend whose sister happens to be Jocasta, his mother. He and Jocasta becomes lovers and marry. Misfortune reigns because of the crime of incest, even though the two committing the crime do it unknowingly.
If this is because no man should be considered fortunate until he is dead, a Greek maxim associated with the play, or because the children suffer for the sins of their parents, isn't clearly defined in the play.
According to the original myth of Oedipus, Laius broke the rules of hospitality by abducting and raping the son of his host during his youth. It was this act, the rape of Chrysippus, that damned him and his descendants.
This production is a bold retelling of the myth, with stark and effective staging (set by John H. Binkley) and a driving urgent rhythm under Rivera. Because this production includes adult situations and nudity, it is not recommended for children.
"Oedipus el Rey" continues until 28 March 2010 at the Theatre@Boston Court in Pasadena.
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