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Eurydice
By Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Sandy Shinner & Jessica Thebus
At Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre
2433 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL
Call 773-871-3000, www.victorygardens.org
Tickets $20 -$48
Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 5 & 8:30 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time is 80 minutes without intermission
Through November 9, 2008
“Eurydice” is a boldly fascinating and visually stimulating take on the Orpheus Myth
The Orpheus Myth: A Synopsis:
(from the production press notes)
“Orpheus was the most gifted musician in all of Greece. He fell in love with a woman named Eurydice. Shortly after they were married, Eurydice was bitten by a snake and died. Orpheus was overcome with grief and he journeyed to the Underworld to get her. When he arrived, he played music so beautifully that even the stones wept. The god hades was so moved that he let Eurydice leave with Orpheus. Hades set one condition, however: Orpheus must walk up to the land of the living without looking back to see if Eurduce was following. Simple enough, but at the very last moment Orpheus turned around and lost Eurydice forever.”
Victory Gardens’ Biograph Theatre can now do justice to Sarah Ruhl’s bold and slyly comic take on the classic Greek myth of Orpheus. With raining elevators, trapdoors and movable sets, Ruhl’s ambitious and enticing”Eurydice” comes to life in a whimsical production. This is a lovely show filled with heart. It is the modern tale of love and loss told from Eurydice’s (Lee Stark) point of view. The show’s sadness is overcome as Eurydice commemorates the joys of life. Ruhl adds Eurydice’s Father (Joe D. Lauck) as the one to awaken her mind as to the love she enjoyed in life since memories are forbidden in the world of the dead. The three stones are the Greek chorus to remind everyone of the rules of the dead world. William J. Norris, Cheryl Lynn Bruce and Caitlin Hart are the Stones. Beau O’Reilly is the Hades-like Nasty Interesting Man who rules the world of the dead.
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When Orpheus (Jamie Abelson) sings at the gates of hell to win Eurydice back, she must make the painful decision whether to remain with her father or return to her earthly love. Lee Stark, as Eurydice and Jamie Abelson, as Orpheus gave fine performances as the young lovers. Stark has a wholesome honest and vibrant stage presence and Abelson has the charm of a lover. Joe D. Lauck and Beau O’Reilly were most effective. I have not seen a more engrossing and lovely mounting of a classic Greek myth on stage that Sandy Shinner and Jessica Thebus’ cleverly told “Eurydice.” Sarah Ruhl fans (I am one) will enjoy her take on the myth.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: October 14, 2008
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