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Electra/Persona review: A masterclass in stage acting from Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss
Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss reunite to show off their acting prowess, this time mastering the stage.
Monika Rittershaus 212
- Joanna Magill
Published: Wednesday, 2 September 2026 at 5:15 pm
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A star rating of 3 out of 5.
Starring two actresses as acclaimed as Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss, known for playing wives in Todd Field's Tár, theatregoers have been expecting a treat with the National Theatre's Electra/Persona. And, despite a sometimes fussy script, it certainly is.
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As the slash in the title suggests, Electra/Persona is a play of two halves. The first "half" (there is no interval) is Electra, Sophocles's classic Greek tragedy following a grieving princess seeking revenge for her father's murder. This is followed by an adaptation of Persona, a 1967 Ingmar Bergman film about an actress who becomes mute following a mental breakdown as she plays Electra on stage.
While the two stories are explored sequentially, echoes of one are glimpsed through the other. Heavy parallels are drawn between the characters of Electra and Alma, as well as between Clytemnestra and Elisabeth, each pair being played by the same actress, repeated lines of dialogue and the reappearance of certain props.
However, strong differences are obvious between the two works. Director Benedict Andrews opts for overt theatricality – at times bordering on hammy – for Electra, with the use of face paint and talking to inanimate objects as if they were characters.
Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss and Ella Lily Hyland in Electra/Persona. Monika Rittershaus 212
Persona, on the other hand, is a fairly straight adaptation of the original film, that includes the use of handheld cameras and on-stage screens. While now an arguably tired device of modern theatre, this was an inclusion that worked for Persona, providing close-ups of Hoss's face which allowed her to showcase the emotions that were more difficult to convey by a non-speaking character, as well as pay tribute to Sven Nykvist's cinematography in the Bergman classic.
However, the difference in tone and runtime of the two sections (Persona ran for considerably longer) meant that the production ended up feeling lopsided. Yes, there were connections between the two works, but they felt slightly too thin to justify the double billing, especially in the absence of an interval.
With two actresses of as high a calibre as Blanchett and Hoss, decisions over casting the two equally layered and complex characters would have been agonising. So, the production leaves it up to fate with a coin toss at the beginning of the production determining which actress will play which role that evening.
While some may dismiss this technique as gimmicky, in this case it does an effective job of underscoring the two identities that co-exist within the women.
Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss in Electra/Persona Monika Rittershaus 212
The performances from Hoss and Blanchett are the clear high point of this production, which on this particular night were Hoss as Electra/Elisabeth and Blanchett as Clytemnestra/Alma. From Hoss's opening guttural scream as Electra to Blanchett's expert portrayal of a woman slowly unravelling as Alma, this is a masterclass in stage acting.
Ultimately, Blanchett and Hoss delivered a performance for the ages – but the same couldn't be said for the script. A full performance of Benedict Andrews's Electra or Persona would feel like a more striking production, giving each script more room to breathe.
When seeing Electra/Persona, it's best to stop trying to make sense of the overly-drawn parallels between the two works. Simply sit back and absorb Magda Willi’s expertly sparse and steep steps, Jon Clark's excellent lighting and, of course, some of the finest acting currently on the London stage.
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For more of our thoughts on the latest London productions, check out our Death Note the musical review and Cats review.
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When and where can I see Electra/Persona starring Cate Blanchett?
Electra/Persona is currently running at the Lyttelton Theatre, part of the National Theatre.
The show will run until 10 October.
Buy Electra/Persona tickets at TodayTix
How to get Electra/Persona tickets
Electra/Persona has proved to be one of London's hottest tickets, with many performances already sold out. There are some tickets remaining on TodayTix – if you're keen to see this production, we'd recommend buying tickets ASAP.
Buy Electra/Persona tickets at TodayTix
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