Oedipus is one big, bad Daddy. According to an inescapable prophecy delivered by the Oracle at Delphi, he has killed his own father and begotten children on his own mother. And that’s only the backstory, delivered by DJ (Chinasa Ogbuagu), a kind of hip-hop priestess who spins two types of platters, the aforementioned hip-hop and a recording of Aeschylus’ play intoned by a classical actor (the unseen Charles Turner).
Aeschylus’ tale, much more economical than this image-laden adaptation, is known as “Seven Against Thebes.” For the sake of brevity, this adaptation is titled “The Seven,” in productions at La Jolla Playhouse and in the original New York staging, for which Oedipus (Edwin Lee Gibson, who repeats the role here) copped a well-deserved Obie Award.
It’s not easy, night after night, to carry a phallic walking stick with such aplomb and to stand on high screaming that most vicious and insulting “N” word at one’s own sons, who have disrespected their father. Never mind that dad has cursed them to die at each other’s hands. He’s also ordained that the two jointly rule Thebes. Eteocles (Benton Greene) will take the first year and then Polynices (Jamyl Dobson) will succeed him. There is no third year in this tragedy. The two young actors are dynamite, capturing all the love, rivalry and hatred manifest in brothers, whether or not brothers admit it.
Eteocles rules with the assistance of Right Hand (Bernard White, who is Caucasian). In one of the show’s funniest, streetwise moments, at least to this old white woman, Right Hand runs in circles, grabbing his own crotch. Think about it.
There’s a message in this act more powerful than all the show’s heavy-handed, message-laden pronouncements. The Greeks merely told the story with comments from the chorus (DJ in this case), crediting the commoners for whom the message was intended with enough sense to deduce meaning. Nonetheless, it is fascinating to see this heavy-handed adaptation. For those unfamiliar with the original tales, a glossary is provided. Who knows, it might even get some young people curious about the source material.
While Eteocles learns how to “king,” Polynices retreats to the forest, where he has an idyllic love affair with the poet Tydeus (gorgeous Flaco Nava, who delivers one of the show’s best numbers, “Don’t do me wrong”).
When the year is up, Polynices gathers an army with seven leaders, one for each of Thebes’ gates. Here’s where the high-powered ensemble is fully utilized in the battle acrobatics and in the menacing chorus “7 against Thebes.” The ultra-talented kids, who sing and dance in extraordinary fashion, are Uzo Aduba, Shawtane Monroe Bowen, Dashiell Eaves, Postell Pringle and Pearl Sun. They are choreographed by the legendary MacArthur Fellowship recipient Bill T. Jones, recent Obie Award winner for the musical “Spring Awakening.”
“The Seven” has book and lyrics by Will Power, music by Power, Will Hammond and Justin Ellington, and stage direction by Jo Bonney. Richard Hoover’s two-level set and sweeping staircase serve the production well, as do Emilio Sosa’s costumes, David Weiner’s lighting and Darron L West’s sound design.
Because of its overt sexual images and language, “The Seven” is not for everyone, especially those who like their Greeks “straight up.”
“The Seven” continues at La Jolla Playhouse through March 16 with performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; and 7 p.m. Sundays. Matinees are at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For tickets ($28-$52) and information, visit www.lajollaplayhouse.org or call (858) 550-1010.