About the Show

Simon Stone's ('Yerma') reimagining of Seneca’s famous tragedy.

After years of focussing on her political career, Phaedra turns her attention to her personal life. The reappearance of her stepson challenges Phaedra's beliefs and life as she knows it. As hidden lust and loneliness come to the surface, Phaedra’s actions threaten to destroy everything she has built.

Janet McTeer ('Ozark') and Assaad Bouab ('Call My Agent') star in a new play by writer-director Simon Stone.

Critic Reviews (10)

"Performances are hypnotisingly untheatrical, navigating the deliberately cluttered dialogue effortlessly."
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" ‘Phaedra’ is neither functional as a comedy nor a tragedy, but rather a sloppy melodrama with funny bits in it."
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"Janet McTeer’s fatally attracted politician crowns a night of visionary elan."
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"The sheer brio of this adaptation, and the deep conviction of the cast, absolutely carry it off."
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"Stone’s dialogue is sparky, hilarious and lightning-quick, its strands interlocking and tangling together like electric cables."
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"It is visually arresting but keeps us at a distance, even in scenes of intimacy, and we remain voyeurs to the last, never allowed into Phaedra’s mind or heart."
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"This is meaty, pugilistic, wrenching drama, anchored by an unmissable performance by McTeer."
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"This as a black comedy about desire, obsession, identity, domestic dysfunction and the lurking presence of the past and there is little to complain about. It’s a stunningly sharp, hugely entertaining evening."
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Trailer

Creative team

Royal National Theatre