Reviewed by Christine Pyman, Saturday 24th February 2018.
Orpheus's descent into the Underworld is an allegory of the renewal of life, the cycling of the seasons, defying death in experiencing love, going through the darkness of inner self and back into the light of reason, with love eternal.
With a grid of lights and two performers, this re-experiencing of the myth of
Orpheus brings the ancient Gods home.
Spoken word - poetic, cantering rapidly with excitement, pacing slowly with pain, interspersed with soulful music, and ballads of emptiness, reflects the idea behind the myth that this world is made of equal parts colour and sound. Cleverly bringing the modernity of soul-destroying late night bars to this ages-old fable, this twist on the classic tale shows up the banality of everyday existence compared to the magic of understanding of our ancestors, and we, as the understanding watchers, ache with loss.
Our modern-day Orpheus is Dave, who has magic in his soul via his music and sensitivity, and Eurydice, his lovely dryad, who recognises his magic and responds with her own. A quote from the play, "Eurydice was made of colour", gives a good indication of the stark beauty of
Alexander Wright's writing and, together with the brilliant, passionate performance from Vince Fusco, our narrator, and heart-rending original music, by Phil Grainger. The story is faithful to the original, and successfully entrances the audience as we are taken on the journey to the Underworld and back, giving us the hope and understanding of life's renewal. The Flanagan Collective gives a stunning performance that renews and reconnects us with the echoes through the ages of our psyche.
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