Unfortunately, Scales' production fails for his chorus. He begins the play very well, with the chorus speaking behind the audience. But once the chorus enters the orchestra, it is reduced to effortful and palsied choreography. A shimmy explodes into a brief cavort, and then the members shunt themselves from left to right to approximate confusion. The vocal work is also poor, with much moaning and sing-along.
Scales misses many opportunities to effectively integrate the chorus with the action.
Scales begins the play well with the chorus' periodic cries of Oedipus' name when he is held in awe. The choreographed spitting after Oedipus is risible. Far more powerful would have been the chorus striking its staffs into the ground to create a true gate between themselves and their tragic king. The Cerf Auditorium's setting could pass as Sorin's estate in Chekov's The Seagull , and the association is apposite.