The
musical stage play "The Gospel at Colonus" is a retelling of Sophocles' ancient Greek
, "Oedipus at Colonus." Oedipus, remember, is the cursed hero who cannot escape the
destiny cruel gods have put in place for him. He ends up killing his father and marrying his
mother. Then, in a fit of agony, he puts out his own eyes and wanders about until the end of his
days. The play tells the story of this last part of Oedipuss life.
The
Gospel at Colonus brings this story to vibrant life through the setting of a Black Pentecostal
Church. By its nature, this story fits well into a church setting. There is a sense of
importance to things that happen in church, ritual and community, and the possibility of
forgiveness and understanding. Moreover, the Black Pentecostal Church is known for raising
voices in praise and singing to express every type of emotion. In that sense, this mellow Greek
tragedy is given a new life. The New York Times review says it is born again - familiar
language for a new religious convert, but could also be applied to taking an old play and
setting it in a vibrant, musical, Pentacostal church setting.
No comments:
Post a Comment