Electra/Persona

Electra/Persona description

Welcome to a blend of two extraordinary stories, Electra and Persona. Electra/Persona delivers a unique blend of Sophocles' ancient tragedy Electra, written somewhere between 410 and 418BC, and Ingmar Bergman's 1966 psychological masterpiece of a movie, Persona. The inner life of an actress and the impact grief has upon her leads to a break in the woman's performance, a juncture where speech breaks down and the line drawn between self and role collapses. It's a powerful exploration of identity, grief and performance, delving deep into the delicate line between who we are and who we play. 

The production is both adapted and directed by Benedict Andrews (A Streetcar Named Desire), a respected Australian theatre, film, and opera director based in Reykjavík, Iceland. He's widely known and loved for his work, notably Una and Seberg. The drama stars Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss, and Ella Lily Hyland, and takes its place in the National Theatre's 2026 season. An original score by Academy Award-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir adds to the excitement, along with an excellent creative team involving Set Designer Magda Willi, Costume Designer Merle Hensel, Lighting Designer Jon Clark, Video Designer Ash J Woodward, Voice Coach Cathleen McCarron, and Casting Director Alastair Coomer CDG. Classy stuff.

Playing at Lyttelton - National Theatre (venue info)