Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss are seen rehearsing for the world premiere of Benedict Andrews' new production Electra/Persona at the National Theatre. First-look images show the actresses, who previously starred together in the 2022 Oscar-nominated film Tar, in intense rehearsal moments.
Production blends ancient myth with Bergman film
The play fuses Sophocles' ancient myth Electra with Ingmar Bergman's 1966 film Persona. The National Theatre describes it as a “powerful exploration of identity and the fragile line between who we are and who we play”.
Blanchett, 57, is pictured holding a hammer while sitting on stairs, staring downward. Other images show the pair staring intensely at each other, laughing, and appearing distressed, with Blanchett bowing her head as Hoss, 51, looks over her.
Cast and role swaps
Throughout the run, Blanchett and Hoss will swap the roles of Electra/Elisabeth and Clytemnestra/Alma. Ella Lily Hyland plays Chrysothemis/Reader, and Patrick Robinson is Aegisthus/Husband.
The synopsis teases: “Electra. A daughter consumed by grief and rage, clinging to the idea of justice as her world comes apart.” It adds: “Persona. During a performance of Electra, an actress suddenly falls silent. What follows is a rupture: two women drawn into an intense, unsettling encounter where speech breaks down and the boundaries between self and role give way.”
Previous collaborations and accolades
Blanchett and Andrews have worked together three times previously: The War Of The Roses (2009), Big And Small (2011), and The Maids (2013). Andrews also directed Hoss in The Cherry Orchard at the Donmar Warehouse in 2024.
Blanchett's career accolades include two Academy Awards, three Actor Awards, four British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globes, with nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, and a Tony Award. She and her husband, Andrew Upton, were artistic directors of the Sydney Theatre Company from 2008 to 2013.
Electra/Persona runs in the Lyttelton theatre from August 19 until October 10. Tickets are now on sale at nationaltheatre.org.uk.
