It鈥檚 safe to say the story of Oedipus isn鈥檛 a lot of laughs.
We鈥檙e all familiar with the myth. Oedipus unwittingly murders his dad and marries Jocasta, his mom. When the truth finally comes out, the kind of self-annihilating mayhem one sees only in Greek tragedy ensues, a.k.a., suicide, self-inflicted eye gouging and other hijinx.
With Jocasta Regina. Canadian-born playwright Nancy Huston offers a contemporary version of the classic tale. Her 2009 play is singular in that it delivers the story primarily from Jocasta鈥檚 point of view. In this version, rather than a two-dimensional cutout, she鈥檚 a fully fleshed-out woman: determined, smart, funny, lusty, a great mom and so forth.
Huston鈥檚 treatment is an interesting and even admirable take on one of humankind鈥檚 archetypal tales (even if you鈥檙e unfamiliar with Sophocles鈥� play Oedipus Rex, you鈥檝e no doubt heard about Freud鈥檚 Oedipus complex). That said, Theatre Inconnu鈥檚 new production of Jocasta Regina won鈥檛 be for everyone.
Yes, there is worthwhile direction and some strong performances. And it鈥檚 true Huston鈥檚 dialogue is often poetic and stirring (although the prose sometimes turns a disconcerting shade of purple). Overall, the script gets bogged down by a certain stiffness and self-consciousness. And there鈥檚 an overemphasis on exposition; too much telling and not enough showing.
Although the essential elements of the original tale are retained, Jocasta Regina has a modern look. Oedipus (Montgomery Bjornson) wears a snappy suit; Jocasta (Wendy Magahay) sports a peppy leather skirt.
From the get-go, we sense the chemistry between the two. The pair engage in eroticized 鈥� almost salacious 鈥� chitchat, complete with gleeful anatomical references. It鈥檚 a tad over the top; however, Huston does succeed in establishing that Jocasta and Oedipus are genuinely in love, despite having been married for a long time. This scene worked well on Thursday night, with Bjornson and Magahay displaying a convincing chemistry.
We also learn that Jocasta has a terrific relationship with her teenage daughters Antigone (Amber Landry) and Ismene (Autumn Antonsen). The kids sometimes quarrel, but darn it, everyone loves each other deep down 鈥� there鈥檚 plenty of hugs. And Oedipus seems like a swell dad.
The audience can鈥檛 help but like and empathize with this family. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 so terrible when everything goes awry. Oedipus eventually gets wind of the fact that he killed daddy and married mummy. He鈥檚 devastated, of course 鈥� and who can blame him?
Here鈥檚 where it gets interesting. Jocasta (who perhaps knew what was up before Oedipus clued in) delivers an impassioned speech, trying to convince Oedipus that the fact he鈥檚 her son isn鈥檛 such a big deal. They have a deep and abiding love, a great physical relationship and family and so forth. Yet judging by the horrified look on Oedipus鈥檚 face, this line of argument isn鈥檛 going down well.
This anguished scene 鈥� delivered with convincing passion 鈥� is one of Magahay鈥檚 finest. At one point, Jocasta seems fed up with Oedipus鈥檚 conventional sense of disgust, declaring: 鈥淚s it possible, Oedipus, before my very eyes you鈥檝e grown banal?鈥�
Her final (i.e. pre-suicide) speech is similarly affecting. Magahay makes us comprehend the profundity of the tragedy. As Huston intends, we realize Jocasta Regina transcends being merely an 鈥渋ncest play鈥� 鈥� it鈥檚 about society鈥檚 capacity for intolerance and the destructive power this can have.
Bjornson鈥檚 best moments are in the first half of this two-hour (with intermission) show. I sensed at times he grappled a bit with the dialogue鈥檚 oddly formal feel, which is indeed a challenge.
Jocasta Regina boasts a one-woman Greek chorus, played by Catriona Black. It鈥檚 partly a device to engage the audience; the character narrates and comments on the action in a joking, colloquial manner. On paper, it seems a good idea 鈥� it practice, it seemed tacked on and awkward.
Director Clayton Jevne has encouraged the cast to make strong use of gesture. This works well and sometimes imbues the action with a sense of symmetry and elegance.
Devotees of Greek mythology might enjoy this Jocasta Regina. Others will find it an odd night at the theatre.
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What: Jocasta Regina
Where: Theatre Inconnu
When: To May 20
Rating: Three stars (out of five)