The Winnipesaukee Playhouse Education Department embraced the theatre’s 2022 theme of “Through the Ages” and is kicking off the year with the 2,000-year-old drama Oedipus Rex. One of the best-known plays in the history of theatre, Oedipus Rex explores the themes of fate versus free will which still resonate today.
Set, appropriately enough, during a time of plague, the people of Thebes ask their king, Oedipus, to rid themselves of the disease that is tearing through their kingdom. When Oedipus sends his brother-in-law Creon to consult an oracle, he is confronted with a prophesy which sends him on a journey of terrible self-discovery which will devastate his family and the city.
The playhouse’s production features nine local students ranging in age from 13 to 19 who have been rehearsing the production since December. The director, Timothy L’Ecuyer, has chosen an alternative version of contemporary society as the setting of the play, highlighting the juxtaposition of modern society on the backdrop of the ancient world.
“Rehearsing, performing, and seeing Greek tragedy really is an experience like none other. It has been rewarding to see the way this cast had dug into a 2,000-year-old text and found things that ring true to them. We are thrilled for an audience to see this exciting work!” said L’Ecuyer.
The show runs Feb. 17 through 20 with performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. It is sponsored by New Hampton School. For more information, tickets, and COVID-19 protocols, visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org.