Oedipus Rex – National Museum of Scotland

Set in the National Museum of Scotland with the full Scottish Opera orchestra, this one-hour Stravinski/Cocteau spectacular soared to fill the great dome of the beautiful Museum Hall. Conductor, Stuart Stratford, must have gone home buzzing along with his musicians. The instrumentalists were fabulous, as were the vocals.

This is the first time, to my knowledge, that an opera has been staged in the Museum. It is a great space and allowed the audience to choose whether to watch from above, along with the ornately costumed gods, or mingle with the chorus below and feel part of the production.

It is theatre in the round and that brings benefits and difficulties. You feel closer to the action but then again, you might miss bits. I looked down from “the gods” but would want to go again to feel the impact of being in among the chorus and up close to the main cast.

The acoustics were not good for the narrator, Wendy Seager, unfortunately, and her words were difficult to discern at times. It was disappointing to see her partially reading the script. Delivery with complete attention to a paying audience has a greater impact. This is an international festival and the bar ought to be high. However, I liked the concept of her being a cleaner and I loved the way she cleaned the main characters as if they were museum artifacts.

The costumes and makeup were very enjoyable. The simplicity of the chorus outfits was clever and the tassels echoed in the main characters’ costumes, creating a cohesive and effective look.

People didn’t know what to expect, so the half hour at the bar area was largely wasted as folk queued up at the foot of the stairs rather than mingle. The audience wanted to ensure they had a good view. The bar area is beautifully lit and elegant. It is a pity that there was probably a loss of income from drinks sales and a less relaxed ambience than was anticipated.

Opera appeals to a more sophisticated palate and that usually comes with age. Some mentioned concerns at a lack of seating, so perhaps a few more chairs here and there in pairs might be welcomed and seated pairs would not impede the choral action too much if dotted around and even elevated on some additional plinths.

Lastly, in terms of performance, the chorus worked particularly hard, yet the movement felt a bit overwhelming from where I was standing. A section of static chorus and a some mingling chorus could be less invasive for some audience members.

This was an ambitious concept, and it was most enjoyable. I was fortunate in having the translation. Is there scope for floor projection of occasional key words and phrases between the audience and the “stage”? 

There was a clear understanding from the director, Roxana Haines, on the use of Latin. For some audience members it was unclear, as our culture has moved on from Latin Masses and Catholicism, which Cocteau understood and renounced. I very much liked the visual nod to the taking of communion and the portrayal of the Theban chorus as sheep willing to adore as demanded. It was a powerful production. 

Reviewer: Kathleen Mansfield

Reviewed: 12th August 2024

North West End UK Rating: