A Particle of Dread (Oedipus Variations)
THE STORY: As a young man, Oedipus is told by a seer that he will grow up to kill his own father and marry his mother. He flees from home to avoid this terrible fate, but there is no escape—the dreadful prophecy finally catches up with him. Celebrated playwright Sam Shepard reimagines this Ancient Greek tale as a modern thriller. A murder is committed. Who is the victim? Who is responsible? What are the consequences for generations to come? There are many versions of the crime in this intriguing tale. People are hiding from the truth, even when it stares them in the face.
“Mythic and mysterious!” —Newsday (NY).
“A noir thriller with touches of Grand Guignol gore and a sprinkling of surreal humor.” —New York Post.
“Fans of the playwright should find this an intriguing addition to the Shepard canon—he cleverly weaves the threads of classic Greek tragedy through his own gritty sensibilities. The result is a non-linear work combining humor and poetry to remind us that the sins of the father and son are destined to repeat.” —NY1.
“[Shepard] pulls the Oedipus legend up by its roots, fits it with earthy new poetry, straddles it between comedy and tragedy, and splinters characters and time frames to construct an eternal dilemma.” —The Irish Times.
