Combining a little bit of big band swing, an ancient Greek myth and childhood innocence versus willful ignorance, the play \Eurydice"" makes for an excellent night of entertainment.
The Madison Repertory Theatre will be presenting the first ever production of ""Eurydice"" for the next three weekends. The play, written by Sarah Ruhl, is a great indicator of the artistic quality the Civic Center is capable of hosting.
""Eurydice"" takes a different look at the classic Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Instead of focusing on the tale of Orpheus, a typical male of Hellenic legend, the play crafts a fantastic protagonist from his wife. The strength of the play stems from both Eurydice's depth and her relationship to the men in her life.
The play opens with a little boy and a girl floating a toy boat across a puddle. They laugh and giggle, not knowing what their future will hold.
Soon, they mature into a young couple in love, no longer content simply to play, but having matured to frolicking. They laugh and kiss, looking to the sky and seeing the sky stretch out before them. Their young love culminates in an embrace upon a beach, locked in each other's arms like an allusion to ""From Here to Eternity.""
The couple is Orpheus (David Andrew McMahon) and Eurydice, (Laura Heisler). The actors portray the young lovers with bountiful exuberance and the right combination of hope and bliss.
Soon this peaceful scene translates into the marriage of the young lovers. After the ceremony, they retreat to a small pool to bask in their union. But soon the innocence unwinds and temptation enters with a well-tailored suit.
The suave and debonair Nasty Interesting Man (Scott Morton) presents Eurydice with the allure of knowledge. He tells her that he has a letter from Eurydice's father, (John Lenertz) who speaks from the Underworld. Still, Eurydice longs to hear his voice and be the daughter to a compassionate man.
The Nasty Interesting Man's temptation leads to Eurydice's death and her descent to the Underworld. There she meets her father without knowing it, having become forgetful from her passage to the Underworld. All along, three stones are reminding Eurydice and her father about the rules of the Underworld.
Meanwhile, on the surface, Orpheus composes the saddest songs to lament the loss of his love. He is willing to do anything to get Eurydice back, even following her to the depths of the Underworld.
Any student who has looked, even skimmed, over works by Ovid will know the end of the tale. It is sad and tragic, but also the most fitting ending to a play that deals so heavily with the ways of love.
The reason ""Eurydice"" succeeds as a great production is because of the tender dignity the main characters possess. Eurydice and her father both manage to be simutaneously vulnerable in their commitment and noble in their defiance of the ways of the Underworld. They stand tall in a very intimidating place, talking down the Lord of the Underworld (Scott Morton), Little Stone (Polly Noonan), Big Stone (Jody Reiss) and Loud Stone (Karlie Nurse).
The one character flaw that is overdone comes from Orpheus. He does not show the stateliness and cultured refinement of a great artist. Instead, the loss of his love makes him seem too weak at times and not adequately confident in other moments.
The characters manage to juxtapose the strength of love with the obscenities of the Underworld. Eurydice sits at her father's knee with the smile of a little girl before being mocked by the manic Lord of the Underworld. Their closeness and calm trust of each other collide with the high-pitched squeals and wicked sarcasm of the stones.
What elevates ""Eurydice"" from an innovative play to a satisfying 90 minutes is the way it presents a Greek legend far better than any comparative literature class could. Instead of being mired in the crumbling statues and ancient epics of long-dead white men, ""Eurydice"" shows that Greek myth is very vibrant with the energy of youth. Young lovers make the occasional biblical allusions and classical context seem accessible and unpretentious.
""Eurydice"" is a play worth watching and provides a little something for everybody. It is honest without being sentimental, complex without being confusing and entertaining without being gimmicky. From the first few moments to the closing scene, ""Eurydice"" is a tremendous accomplishment and a memorable tale.
