Benedict Andrews’ new production at London’s National Theatre presents an ambitious theatrical fusion of Sophocles’ ancient tragedy *Electra* and Ingmar Bergman’s 1966 film *Persona*, exploring themes of identity, performance, and familial conflict. The show features Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss alternating nightly in the roles of Electra, Clytemnestra, Elisabeth (the silent actor from *Persona*), and her nurse Alma. A coin toss before each performance determines which actor plays which set of characters, offering a unique framing device intended to examine the complex mother-daughter dynamics and blurred boundaries between actors and their roles.
The first half of the production centers on Sophocles’ *Electra*, where Hoss delivers a fiercely charged portrayal of the vengeful daughter consumed by grief and anger over her father Agamemnon’s murder. Her Electra is raw and viscerally angry, brandishing symbolic props such as a hammer, while also conveying layers of conflicted affection toward her mother. Blanchett’s Clytemnestra is a commanding presence, less overtly imperious than some interpretations but nuanced by moments of vulnerability and justification for her own violent actions, rooted in the sacrifice of her daughter Iphigenia.
The staging of *Electra* is meticulously crafted, blending stark visual elements such as Magda Willi’s ascending staircase set with intense, ritualistic moments like the blood-spattered murder of the lover Aegisthus. Brendan Aanes’s sound design adds a pulsating energy that underpins the drama without overwhelming it. The production emphasizes theatricality by openly displaying the actors’ process of donning makeup and costumes, and shifting personas, underscoring the tension between character and performer.
The second half turns to Bergman’s *Persona*, a psychological drama challenging to translate to the stage. Andrews incorporates a screen and a handheld camera to replicate the film’s experimental style, capturing Elisabeth’s enigmatic silence and Alma’s troubled monologues. However, the reimagined scenes—particularly the iconic beach confrontation—are staged as backstage walkthroughs with handheld filming, a technique that some critics found familiar and less effective in this context.
While there are thematic and visual echoes between the two halves, such as shared costumes and props, the adaptation of *Persona* has been described as less compelling, with the monologues feeling diffuse alongside Elisabeth’s silence. The attempt to merge the two works highlights the dramaturgical challenges of blending classical tragedy with mid-20th-century cinematic psychological exploration.
The production runs through October 10, offering audiences a complex meditation on role-playing, revenge, and identity anchored by the powerful performances of Blanchett and Hoss. Though the *Electra* segment draws stronger acclaim, the double bill as a whole invites reflection on the transformative nature of performance and the boundaries between self and character.