Robert Icke’s modern-day Oedipus triumphs at Critics’ Circle theatre awards

Other winners include Francesca Amewudah-Rivers for Romeo & Juliet, Danny Sapani as King Lear and Giant playwright Mark Rosenblatt

A modern-day version of Oedipus, which turned Sophocles’ tragic leader into a politician awaiting election results, has won three prizes at the Critics’ Circle theatre awards. Robert Icke won best director for the production (which he adapted), with Mark Strong named best actor and Lesley Manville best actress. All three are up for Olivier awards next month.

Receiving ecstatic reviews, Oedipus became a hot ticket at Wyndham’s theatre after previous runs using actors from Internationaal Theater Amsterdam at the Edinburgh festival and in the Netherlands.