Grand Forks: A Modern “Eurydice”

By Christopher P. Jacobs
Staff Writer

Ancient Greek myths have formed the basis of literature, popular novels, and fairytales for thousands of years. Numerous authors and poets, ancient and modern, have tried their hands at reimagining the stories people developed to explain various aspects of human nature and phenomena of the physical world.

Love and Death are primary among these forces, and one of the most enduring myths is the tragic story of Orpheus and Eurydice, which has shown up in poetry, opera, ballet, theatre, and film interpretations. The most famous version is by the ancient Roman poet Virgil, recounting the descent of the mystical singer Orpheus into the Underworld to regain his deceased love, Eurydice. It tells of Hades’ guarantee that he may lead her back to the land of the living if he can resist the urge to look back to see if she is following, and his ultimate failure to resist that temptation, resulting in a second death for Eurydice.

Young American playwright Sarah Ruhl’s recent play, “Eurydice,” gives her twist on the intense emotions treated by the story. Ruhl concentrates much more heavily on Eurydice’s point of view, and wrote the play as a sort of personal catharsis after the death of her father at a younger-than-expected age. We see Eurydice and Orpheus in love and courting, but at their wedding she is lured away by a strange man who says he’s got a letter from her dead father and she falls to her death.

In the underworld she meets and rekindles her close relationship with her father, while in the world above Orpheus attempts to communicate with her, eventually to the point of following her down and pleading with the king of the dead (the same strange man who’d lured Eurydice to her death) for her return.

In this play, Eurydice is ambivalent, torn between staying with her beloved father or returning to live with her beloved husband. Orpheus is a force in her life but not the only one, rather than the other way around as in most versions of the tale. The Greek word “Eurydice” means “wide-judging.”

Megan Lonski is excellent in the title role, and pretty much carries the entire play with her evocative and nuanced performance. Hyram Patterson is effective as her father, a man who defies underworld traditions by forcing himself to remember his life instead of becoming like the stones.

Philip Muehe is a bit mannered and artificial as Orpheus, especially in the scenes before Eurydice’s death, but improves as the play goes on. Benjamin Klipfel plays the “Nasty Interesting Man” who is also king of the underworld with great relish, injecting some dark humor into the otherwise tragic activities.

Playing a chorus of talking stones are Alyssa Thompson, Lukas Skjaret, Amy Driscoll, Chris Berg, and Chris Ibarra.

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If You Go

What: “Eurydice”
Where: Burtness Theatre, UND
When: April 22, 23, 24, 7:30 pm
Info: 701.777.3446