Eurydice

Alexandra Aldrich, Sam Duncan and Olga Makeeva. Image by Jodie Hutchinson.

The classic Greek tale of Orpheus is reimagined for audiences in Red Stitch Actors Theatre’s latest production of Eurydice, a quirky mediation on loss, death, and navigating one’s way back from the dead.  

Retaining elements of the well-known myth and adding some new ones, the text by American playwright Sarah Ruhl invigorates the story with lucid prose that feels lush, tight and contemporary – and told from the perspective of Orpheus’ wife Eurydice.

Pushed to her death from the top of an apartment building, Eurydice, played by Ngaire Dawn Fair, lands in the underworld on with no recollection of her life on earth, nor any current sense of time or place. Lost in limbo, Eurydice tries to connect the dots back together again as her husband Orpheus, played by Johnathan Peck, pulls out all the stops to reach her.

Under the vision of director Luke Kerridge, the drama in Eurydice is gripping, feels engaging, and constructs a nice dance between lighter and poignant moments, with Ruhl’s text giving his ensemble great material to run with.  

The best parts of this production are the exceptionally strong cast, led by Fair in the title role. Her performance is strong and commanding, yet appropriately nuanced. As Orpheus, Peck is also vulnerable, warm, relatable and tender. Eurydice’s father played by Alex Menglet is a joy to watch, particularly in earlier father-daughter moments that he shares with Fair.

Bringing an excellent sense of comedic timing is Dion Mills in his role as Lord of the Underworld, while Olga Makeeva, Alexandra Aldrich and Sam Duncan work the laughs as a chorus of stones.

Emily Collett’s simple understated design combines the themes of water with a visual motif that embodies the notorious river cruise into the underworld. Using a multi-level stage of wooden platforms, the cast explore moments of stillness, isolation and the divide between earth and the underworld.

Similarly, the use of twine and string throughout echoes the harp strings of Orpheus, brings characters into private moments, and conjures the stanzas of music, and is a delight to see unfold.

While the music that features throughout Eurydice often matches the beat and rhythm of the text, it also feels at times jarring and disjointed – yet this may be a quite deliberate comment of the chaotic nature of the underworld. A more consistent score may have been more effective in creating a world for the audience. That said, the energy of the room during the applause indicated a very satisfied crowd. 

The contemporary Americanisms prevalent throughout the text at times break the suspension of disbelief and discredit the Australian tongue, yet overall these small factors can be forgiven for what’s arguably a fun and very watchable take on the retelling of Eurydice.