REVIEW: Eurydice

Jim Hunt plays a dead father whose love reaches out to his daughter from behind the veil in Eurydice, Sarah Ruhl's contemporary re-interpretation of the Orpheus myth at Curious Theatre Company.

Though much of Christian theology is informed by neoplatonic philosophy, no where is the distinction between Christian and Greek mythology more evident than in the depiction of the afterlife.

In the Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice, the gifted musician Orpheus loses his beloved bride Eurydice on their wedding night. Using his musical skills, he travels to the gloomy land of the dead and negotiates with Hades, Lord of the Underworld, for her return. Hades' one caveat--that he return without looking back or else lose her forever--seals Eurydice's doom.

Sarah Ruhl's contemporary adaptation of the story Eurydice , playing at the Curious Theatre through April 18, speculates on exactly what the mortal muse is doing in the underworld while Orpheus seeks her release.

As it turns out, Eurydice's got a heroic journey of her own, as she seeks to overcome the forgetfulness that has stripped her of all language, erased her memories of Orpheus and the world of the living, and prevents the rekindling of the tender relationship she'd once had with her long-dead father.

The production is outstanding, but only because of the herculean and inspired contributions of director Chip Walton, choreographer Garrett Ammon and designers Michael R. Duran (set), Shannon McKinney (lights), Brian Freeland (sound), Kate Roselle (props) and Janice Lacek (costumes).

The problem with the script is that Ruhl seems to have been so strongly influenced by Absurdism, and most likely Samuel Beckett. Consequently, the dialogue, while eloquent, is nearly incomprehensible. Sure there are lots of images and symbols, and quirky contemporary references, but it doesn't add up to real conversation. The point that the dead don't communicate effectively is belabored, but the living characters don't talk sensibly either.

There is no real distinction between the poetic, random non-speech of the living and that of the dead, and the bridge that supposedly ties the two worlds together -- music -- is downplayed in this show. Everyone is so busy speaking meaningless dialogue, key relationships, particularly between Eurydice (Karen Slack) and Orpheus (Tyee Tilghman), and then between Eurydice and Her Father (Jim Hunt), never win over our sympathy, despite the best efforts of an exceptional cast.

Compensating for the babble, Walton, Ammon and the designers have conceived and staged a breathtakingly original production which is more surreal than absurd, with floating umbrellas, a pool of water, and an elevator that rains inside. This is a show that is a lot of fun to watch, but frustrating to listen to.

What I enjoyed most about the production was the depiction of the Greek image of a lifeless, meaningless eternity devoid of relationships and ruled by a pervert, from which the only escape is to overdose on water from the river of forgetfulness and slip into catatonia.

The Christian promise of a vivid afterlife, perfect communication, fulfillment of self identity, restored relationships, limitless possibilities and ruled by a compassionate, entirely good king is much more attractive. It's THIS world that we see through a glass darkly, that makes no sense, and into which we enter with total amnesia and the inability to speak.

Which begs the audience to consider what THEY are looking forward to when they die, and to what extent they would go to have a chance to come back. I'm grateful to Curious Theatre and Eurydice for publicly posing the question.

Eurydice plays at Curious Theatre Company through April 18. Call 303-623-0524 or visit www.curioustheatre.org for information and reservations.