The Panther Newspaper: ‘Eurydice’ was quite interesting
The Chapman theatre production of “Eurydice” opened in the Waltmar Theatre Nov. 12 for this weekend only. Based on the myth of “Orpheus,” the play is portrayed through the perspective of his beloved, Eurydice.
With an intimate seven-person cast, this show drew me in and allowed me to connect with each character on a deeper level than most productions I’ve seen. Each cast member brought their unique acting abilities to the stage to create a beautiful rendition of this tragic tale about lost love and memories.
Eurydice, played by senior screen acting major Kayla Topp, used her petite physique to her advantage to bring the youthful titular character to life — or should I say death? By emphasizing her delicate features and actions, she brought out a certain naivety that applied to her roles as both a young woman in love and a new soul in the Underworld.
The love between Eurydice and her father, played by junior screen acting major James Neal, as well as Orpheus, played by senior screen acting major David Patty, was bewitching and heartbreaking all at once. The progression of Orpheus’ insanity over losing Eurydice was quite subtle, which made it even more powerful — there’s a scene in which he directs a silent symphony that caused tears to start welling up in my eyes.
Ironically enough, the character who provides the most comic relief is A Nasty Interesting Man/The Lord of the Underworld, played by senior theatre performance major Drew Petriello. His eccentric, playful behavior is disturbing yet oddly charming — a tactic that thankfully seemed to work better on me, who was protected by the fourth wall, than the vulnerable Eurydice. Petriello had one of the most spectacular costume changes in the show that required him to walk on stilts, which he did with a surprising amount of poise that affixed the perfect amount of confidence to his character.
The chorus of stones — Big Stone, played by junior theatre studies major Caroline Hale, Little Stone, played by junior theatre performance major Monica Furman, and Loud Stone, played by senior theatre studies major Natasha Gualy — also added to this comic relief, while still maintaining the sinister vibe of the Underworld (they were dead, after all). Even though the actor’s faces were hidden behind masks, they were the most expressive of all the characters as each of them exaggerated their physical forms and voices to embody their guises seamlessly.
The minimalistic stage allowed me to feel like I was contributing to the show by using my imagination to place the characters in each setting. This gave me a bit of power over my experience by allowing for my own interpretation of the story to be incorporated, which made it all the more enjoyable.
When the show came to a close, and with tears that had finally slid down my cheeks, I didn’t hesitate to join in the standing ovation that ensued for the performers.
5/5 Panther paws.
Photo courtesy Dale Dudec.
