Oedipus the Tyrant

Thebes is hit by a double disaster: a pandemic and a severe drought are threatening life in the city. All eyes turn expectantly to the king, Oedipus, who once saved Thebes and is now supposed to free it from its misery once again. But little by little it becomes clear that Oedipus is in fact the root of the current evil, something he is - stubborn, self-righteous and deluded as he is - the very last to admit.

«At the beginning of the drama, Oedipus may have innocently fallen into guilt. But in the course of the investigation, so to speak on his own behalf, that changes: he accuses others for no reason, comes across as quick-tempered and power-hungry, and thus provides many reasons to translate the title as Oedipus the Tyrant instead of the more familiar King Oedipus.» (Nachtkritik)
«The ritualistic nature of the piece, the dissection of this fundamental metaphor of European civilization, is a productive imposition for all involved.» (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)
«Nicolas Stemann is less concerned with the psychology than with the politics of guilt. He focuses on the way criticism and truth are dealt with, which is directed by desires for power and repression. Reason and justice play a small role.» (Neue Zürcher Zeitung)
«A tremendously exciting version of a well-known story.» (Süddeutsche Zeitung)