Eurydice
Eurydice Adapted by Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Denise Gillman
Starring Sarah Jane Fridlich, Tommy Keesling, Stephan Jones, Michael Kunter
Mad Cow Theatre, Orlando, FL
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p class=”MsoNormal”>This version of the classic Greek Tragedy “Eurydice” recalls Japanese Anime – it has a great look, interesting characters, an involving story, but when it’s all over your left thinking “WTF, dude?” Eurydice (Fridlich) and Orpheus (Kunter) are madly in love, and on their wedding day she’s drawn away by The Nasty Interesting Man (Jones). He seduces with letter from her deceased father (Keesling), now a successful tycoon in the netherworld. Despite the Rules, Dad remembers his daughter and how to read and write, even though everything is forbidden, from pencils to private rooms to laughter and recognition of past acquaintance. If you forget to forget, the Chorus of Stones (Viet Nguyen, Michael Plummer, and Jenny Weaver) direct you the river Styx and its memory cleansing power. Bold Orpheus decides to rescue Eurydice, sings his way through the gates of Hell, and retrieves her with the proviso he not look at her until the reach the surface. You can guess the result; the Greeks don’t do Happily Ever After.
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p class=”MsoNormal”>So what does all this mean? Hard to say, but on a subjective level, Stephen Jones stole the show as the suave seducer, the childish lord of the underworld apprentice, and the fully realized Satanic master of Eurydice’s fate. Fridlich and Kunter emitted some chemistry, although Kunter seemed a bit unsure of his hormonal state. Keesling did what he does best – carry the burden of the ultra nice guy who might, just might, slash up a day care center if he really felt like it. The Stone Chorus rolled more than you would expect, and while a bit chatty, they kept the ideas of “Keep to your self”, “Do what we say” , and “Don’t mind the moss.”
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p class=”MsoNormal”>The big difference from the classic tragic mask is Eurydice’s tragic flaw. Unlike pride or ambition, she fails to disconnect with the dead while she’s still alive. Filial Love is admirable, but once Daddy checked out, She Needs to Move On, Find Closure, or Get It Out of Her System, depending on when you grew up. The siren of communication with the dead pulled her in and once faced with a critical decision, she lapsed and she did the one thing she never wanted – killing both men she loved.
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p class=”MsoNormal”>For more information on Mad Cow, please visit http://www.madcowtheatre.com
