Review of Eurydice

Torn between worlds... that evening I cried with Eurydice....

"How does a person remember to forget? "

"...Just dip your self in the river ..." ( the river of forgetfulness)

With these lines etched somewhere in the very depth of my being,  eyes brimming with tears  and an aching heart I slipped out of the still darkened open air amphitheatre. The sweet aroma of incense filled my nostrils and  strains of music drifted as I  walked to my vehicle.

I sat quietly for awhile before driving off, clutching a plate appetizing mushroom pasta purchased at the theatre. I was hoping to eat whilst watching the play. However, as I  watched the poignant drama unfold before me, my need for food paled in urgency.

It was indeed a beautiful evening at the Western Province Aesthetic Resort, open air amphitheatre. Weather gods were kind and the gentlest of breezes  caressed the audience comfortably perched on Bean Bags.  The atmosphere was charged with a sense  of mystery. The sound of water,  lights and heady wafts of incense heightened the urgency and mood of the evening.

This was the setting for Eurydice, a play by Sarah Ruhl which retells the Greek myth of Orpheus from the perspective of  Eurydice, his wife. The  Cue Theatre Co  did justice to the nuances of this beautiful play by creating an absolutely hypnotic theatre experience for the Sri Lankan Audience  by way of a genre called symphonic drama which brought in elements of outdoor theatre, music, dance, drama and creative lighting.

Myths live on in the hearts of people for centuries because at the very core of it is a truth common to all humanity. Orpheus and Eurydice are both young, both in love. As the play progresses it also sheds light on deeper truths of unity, fear, loss and the very real fear of being alone.  These human vulnerabilities and emotions were  portrayed  by the young cast of Cue Theatre Co with such depth and poignancy that the truth hurt, also touched and healed in turn.

Sarah Ruhls Eurydice was not all sadness. It was also a play that had loads of humour, whimsy and charm. It lent it self not only to the depths of its audience souls but also enhanced and refreshed and elevated its senses.

It was indeed  edifying to experienice the ancient myth of Orpheus with Ruhls touch of modernist whimsy and the clever direction and playful elegance of the Cue Theatre Co...all this combined made for an evening that would remain with me for always.