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Ace in Eurydice

By Sally Panavas

Did you know there was another pair of star–crossed lovers long
before Romeo ever scaled any walls for Juliet? To witness a love
that goes beyond all limits (including death) I suggest you look no
further than McMaster University’s Fall Major Production of
Eurydice, by Sarah Ruhl.
The classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice is as ancient as
it is varied. Virgil and Plato may differ on specifics, but the
essential elements of the story are as follows: Orpheus is the
most talented musician in the world and Eurydice is his muse.
After Eurydice’s untimely death, Orpheus descends into Hades to
win back his bride by playing his saddest tunes. The guardians of
hell are moved and allow Eurydice to return to earth on one
condition: Orpheus must walk out ahead of his bride, trusting
that she will follow. If he glances back just once then he will lose
Eurydice forever. I’m sure you can guess what happens.
Greek myths, like the story of Romeo and Juliet, do not offer
much in the way of surprise twist endings. The slow–motion train
wreck of tragedy is made all the more poignant by the fact that
we can see its trajectory and are helpless to intervene. While
McMaster’s production fulfills the sinister promise of tragedy it
also troubles the inevitability of Eurydice’s fate by playing out the
story from her perspective. This shift in focus revitalizes the
narrative by giving a certain amount of agency to the myth’s
damsel in distress. Eurydice is transformed from a passive object
of affection into a mercurial young heroine who must engage with
the weighty issues of love, death and her own sense of self.
McMaster’s production is filled with strong performances by
a well–honed group of actors. Eurydice works as a contemporary
story because of complexly layered characters that defy the
stereotypes of traditional Greek tragedy. Director Peter Cockett

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