Podcast Summary
Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Alison Stewart
Guest: Mark Strong
Episode: Mark Strong’s 'Oedipus' Runs for Office
Air Date: January 22, 2026
Overview
This episode features an in-depth conversation between Alison Stewart and acclaimed actor Mark Strong about the contemporary Broadway adaptation of Sophocles’ "Oedipus," written and directed by Robert Icke. The play, running for a limited time on Broadway, reimagines the ancient tragedy in the high-stakes world of modern politics, exploring themes of fate, free will, identity, and the public spectacle of power. The discussion unpacks the innovative staging, the timeless relevance of the story, and the unique challenges of performing a relentless, real-time Greek tragedy for contemporary audiences.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Reimagining Oedipus for the 21st Century
[01:00-04:04]
- The adaptation sets Oedipus as a powerful modern politician on the eve of a major electoral victory.
- Election night, with digital media, cell phones, and public spectacle, forms the backdrop—making the classic story vividly resonant with current events and political culture.
- Mark Strong describes meeting director Robert Icke after a successful previous collaboration ("The Red Barn"), leading to this ambitious project.
2. Fate vs. Free Will in Oedipus
[04:04-05:04]
- The play’s core concern: are our lives determined by fate, or do we have agency?
- Strong finds the play to be a mix of fate and free will, both in Oedipus’s world and in real life.
"Some things happen that seem to just come from nowhere... and then others are created by free will, the idea that you can achieve something if you want it." — Mark Strong [04:21]
3. Acting the Arc: From Triumph to Tragedy
[05:04-06:22]
- The challenge for Strong is portraying Oedipus’s steep fall: the character starts on top and loses everything in the span of two real-time hours.
- The off-stage events of Greek tragedy are re-examined in this adaptation, focusing on Oedipus’s dawning self-awareness.
- The production runs in real time, with no scene or act breaks, demanding sustained intensity and careful modulation across highs and lows—"like a piece of music."
4. Visual & Narrative Devices: The Election Clock
[06:22-07:27]
- A large, ever-ticking clock is displayed on stage, counting down to the election result—but also acting as a metaphor for Oedipus’s impending reckoning.
- The device heightens audience anticipation and suspense, making the revelation feel inevitable and urgent.
"For the audience, you realize it's there for another reason—you know there's going to be some cataclysmic revelation..." — Mark Strong [07:02]
5. Media, Ego, and Seduction of Power
[07:27-08:19]
- The play opens with a gigantic video of Strong as Oedipus, capturing the narcissism and seductiveness of modern political celebrity.
- Strong relates filming the scene to understanding the ego boost inherent in public adulation:
"...how easy it must be (for a politician) to be seduced into thinking that you are, you know, top of the heap." — Mark Strong [08:19]
6. Surprising the Audience When Everyone Knows the Story
[08:37-09:44]
- The adaptation’s success lies in its "drip feed" of information—subtle clues and revelations are spaced throughout, with each character adding nuance.
- Strong shares anecdotes of audience members audibly gasping as the truth is unveiled at different times during performances:
"There was a lady in the stalls one day who, clear as a bell, at a particular moment went 'oh my God, she says mother'... everyone cracked up." — Mark Strong [11:12]
7. Symbolic Set Design
[09:44-11:02]
- The campaign headquarters set is intentionally chaotic and full at the start, then gradually stripped during the play, mirroring Oedipus’s unraveling sense of self.
8. The Clock as Actor and Audience Pressure
[12:24-13:12]
- While the ticking clock is omnipresent, Strong learns to ignore it as an actor; there is a backstage mechanism for adjusting it if necessary, but the production is meticulously timed.
9. Modern Politics as Greek Tragedy
[13:51-14:36]
- The choice to make Oedipus a politician draws a clear modern parallel—his public success and spectacular downfall echo the story’s original themes.
"He's king of the heap...How can you lose everything in life, other than if you're a politician?" — Mark Strong [13:51]
- While there are nods to specific politicians (hinting at the Obama "birth certificate" moment), Strong deliberately avoids modeling the role on any one real-life figure.
10. Oedipus and Jocasta: A Portrait of a Marriage
[15:44-16:20]
- Their relationship onstage is intentionally loving, layered with 23 years of shared history.
"They are a great couple...they know how to handle one another." — Mark Strong [15:44]
- The chemistry was built deliberately in rehearsal, with intimate scenes scheduled later to foster trust between Strong and Lesley Manville.
11. The Demands of Real-Time Performance
[17:25-18:59]
- The biggest challenge is sustaining the energy and "musicality" of the play without breaks.
- Oedipus is "the engine room of the play," driving the action and emotional temperature so other characters can have quieter, nuanced moments.
12. The Art of Listening on Stage
[19:05-19:44]
- Strong emphasizes authentic listening as an essential acting skill, reinforcing both the performance and audience experience:
"That is the art of acting, as far as I'm concerned, is listening, truly listening, not waiting for your turn to speak..." — Mark Strong [19:05]
13. Family Revelation, Identity, and Empathy
[19:44-21:47]
- The revelations Oedipus faces force a total re-evaluation of self and relationships.
"Right at the very beginning...he says to Tiresias, I know who I am. And right at the very end... he says, I don't know who I am." — Mark Strong [20:00]
- The conversation draws connections to the more everyday family secrets many people encounter, and the empathy the play incites.
14. Set Constraints and Focus
[22:02-22:48]
- Performing in a single, unchanging set, Strong finds, intensifies focus and foregrounds language and emotion.
15. No Intermission—No Distraction
[22:48-23:21]
- The play’s relentless pace is enhanced by not having an intermission, preserving individual audience reactions and increasing immersion.
16. Audience Differences: London vs. New York
[23:21-24:26]
- New York audiences are "more present," more vocal, and engage with actors differently (entrance applause, vocal reactions)—a sharp contrast to more reserved UK audiences.
"You come on stage...and people applaud you as you come on. Now, that isn't something we do in the UK..." — Mark Strong [24:03]
17. Living in and Enjoying New York
[25:05-25:52]
- Strong reminisces about his long history with New York, expressing affection for its unpredictability and liveliness.
18. Legacy and Adaptation of Greek Tragedy
[25:52-26:45]
- Discussion of other contemporary adaptations, like "Antigone," and how different directorial choices interpret these ancient stories for today.
19. Hopes for Audience Takeaway
[26:48-27:31]
- Strong hopes that the audience gets “something” significant from the experience, underscoring theater as alchemy—magical when it works.
"I hope people just get something from it, whatever it is." — Mark Strong [26:57]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On the clock and suspense:
"The suspense that's created by having the clock visible and counting down becomes really palpable by the end." — Mark Strong [07:19]
- On playing Oedipus:
"It's a mix of fate and free will...some things happen that seem to just come from nowhere." — Mark Strong [04:21]
- On audience reactions:
"There are gasps at varying times as the penny drops with people." — Mark Strong [11:12] "'Oh my God, she says mother,' literally. And everybody cracked up." — Mark Strong [11:20]
- On actor authenticity:
"That is the art of acting, as far as I'm concerned, is listening, truly listening..." — Mark Strong [19:05]
- On revelation and identity:
"Right at the very beginning...he says...I know who I am. And right at the very end... he says, I don't know who I am." — Mark Strong [20:00]
- On post-show hopes:
"I hope you got something from it because theater...where the alchemy works are, they're second to none." — Mark Strong [27:31]
Timestamps for Major Segments
- Reimagining Oedipus & Project Genesis: 01:00 – 04:04
- Fate vs. Free Will in the Play: 04:04 – 05:04
- The Challenge of Oedipus's Fall: 05:04 – 06:22
- Election Clock as Tension Device: 06:22 – 07:27
- Media, Ego, and Public Persona: 07:27 – 08:19
- Keeping the Story Fresh for Audiences: 08:37 – 09:44
- Symbolic Set Design: 09:44 – 11:02
- Audience Reactions to Revelations: 11:02 – 12:24
- Actor’s Relationship to the Clock: 12:24 – 13:12
- Parallels with Modern Politics: 13:51 – 14:36
- Depicting Oedipus and Jocasta’s Relationship: 15:44 – 16:20
- Maintaining Energy in Real Time: 17:25 – 18:59
- The Importance of Listening: 19:05 – 19:44
- Identity & Family Revelations: 20:00 – 21:47
- Performing Within a Single Set: 22:02 – 22:48
- No-Intermission Experience: 22:48 – 23:21
- NY vs. London Audiences: 23:21 – 24:26
- Living in NYC: 25:05 – 25:52
- On Antigone and Modern Adaptations: 25:52 – 26:45
- Audience Takeaways: 26:48 – 27:31
Tone & Language
The discussion is lively, insightful, and filled with curiosity about both the mechanics and meaning of theater. Alison Stewart’s questions are informed and conversational; Mark Strong is reflective, candid, and often humorous—offering both technical behind-the-scenes detail and genuine emotional resonance.
This summary captures the spirit and substance of Mark Strong’s conversation with Alison Stewart on "All Of It," offering listeners and non-listeners alike a window into the creative adaptation of "Oedipus" for Broadway and the enduring, ever-modern anxieties of fate, identity, and power.