In A Particle of Dread, Sam Shepard takes one of the most famous plays in history—Oedipus Rex—and transforms it into a modern American classic. In this telling, Oedipus, King of Thebes, prophesized to kill his father and marry his mother, alternates between his classical identity and that of contemporary “Otto.” His wife (and true mother), Jocasta, is also called Jocelyn, and his antagonist (and true father) is split into three characters, Laius, Larry, and Langos. Two present-day policemen from the Southwest stand in for the Greek chorus as they investigate the murder case. Dazzlingly inventive, ringing with the timelessness of myth, A Particle of Dread is an unforgettable work that grapples with questions of storytelling and destiny—the narratives that we pass down, and how they shape our lives. It is a play that lingers in the mind long after we finish the last scene.
from Scene 4
(LAWRENCE appears stage left with two bottles of wine. He stops and stares at JOCASTA in cage. He keeps approaching cage.)
JOCASTA: (to LAWRENCE [Laius]) Oh, see—you’ve found it. I wasn’t lying, was I. Bring it to me, Larry. That’s right. Bring it here. (pause as LAWRENCE keeps slowly approaching cage) Was it something about the child? Is that it? A child that never was? Is that what they told you? Whoever—The child—You shouldn’t listen to all that nonsense, Larry. Rumors—what does he know? Mumbo Jumbo. Bones—Blood—Dreams and guts dripping from clothes-lines. I know his game. I’ve seen what he does. How he does it.
(LAWRENCE manages to extract keys from his pocket. He unlocks cage and lets JOCASTA out. She steps out of cage and embraces him. He gently pushes her away and picks up bottle of wine then pours glass for her that he draws from the bottle.)
JOCASTA: (drinks then—) It was him, wasn’t it? You shouldn’t believe such wild superstitions. (she slowly approaches him—seductively, LAWRENCE holds his ground) Murder—Is that what he told you? Murder and rape? That’s not our fate. (she pulls LAWRENCE toward her, embraces him, raises her skirt and wraps a leg around his, LAWRENCE responds; they kiss passionately. She pulls back for a second.)
JOCASTA: We’ll see what comes of this.
(They dance off upstage to tango music as lights go to half and UNCLE DEL comes onstage embracing what looks to be old laundry or men’s suits; he mimics the dance as LAWRENCE and JOCASTA go off. When he’s alone, DEL signals musician to cut the music. Musician stops)
In A Particle of Dread, Sam Shepard takes one of the most famous plays in history—Oedipus Rex—and transforms it into a modern American classic. In this telling, Oedipus, King of Thebes, prophesized to kill his father and marry his mother, alternates between his classical identity and that of contemporary “Otto.” His wife (and true mother), Jocasta, is also called Jocelyn, and his antagonist (and true father) is split into three characters, Laius, Larry, and Langos. Two present-day policemen from the Southwest stand in for the Greek chorus as they investigate the murder case. Dazzlingly inventive, ringing with the timelessness of myth, A Particle of Dread is an unforgettable work that grapples with questions of storytelling and destiny—the narratives that we pass down, and how they shape our lives. It is a play that lingers in the mind long after we finish the last scene.
Excerpt
from Scene 4
(LAWRENCE appears stage left with two bottles of wine. He stops and stares at JOCASTA in cage. He keeps approaching cage.)
JOCASTA: (to LAWRENCE [Laius]) Oh, see—you’ve found it. I wasn’t lying, was I. Bring it to me, Larry. That’s right. Bring it here. (pause as LAWRENCE keeps slowly approaching cage) Was it something about the child? Is that it? A child that never was? Is that what they told you? Whoever—The child—You shouldn’t listen to all that nonsense, Larry. Rumors—what does he know? Mumbo Jumbo. Bones—Blood—Dreams and guts dripping from clothes-lines. I know his game. I’ve seen what he does. How he does it.
(LAWRENCE manages to extract keys from his pocket. He unlocks cage and lets JOCASTA out. She steps out of cage and embraces him. He gently pushes her away and picks up bottle of wine then pours glass for her that he draws from the bottle.)
JOCASTA: (drinks then—) It was him, wasn’t it? You shouldn’t believe such wild superstitions. (she slowly approaches him—seductively, LAWRENCE holds his ground) Murder—Is that what he told you? Murder and rape? That’s not our fate. (she pulls LAWRENCE toward her, embraces him, raises her skirt and wraps a leg around his, LAWRENCE responds; they kiss passionately. She pulls back for a second.)
JOCASTA: We’ll see what comes of this.
(They dance off upstage to tango music as lights go to half and UNCLE DEL comes onstage embracing what looks to be old laundry or men’s suits; he mimics the dance as LAWRENCE and JOCASTA go off. When he’s alone, DEL signals musician to cut the music. Musician stops)
