Tanghalang Pilipino is quick to point that their upcoming production of Eurydice, running from February 17, 2017 up to March 5, 2017 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater), is not a love story. It is a story about love (and loss), instead.
A Filipino adaptation by Guelan Larca of Sarah Ruhl’s play
of the same name, Eurydice is based
on the Greek myth of Orpheus told from the perspective of his doomed lover/wife
Eurydice. The myth tells the story of Orpheus's failed attempt to retrieve his deceased wife from the depths of the underworld. In the play, a new layer is added with Sarah Ruhl's creation of a new character: Eurydice's father. His presence brings new insight as to why Orpheus/Orfeo looks back before he has left the underworld, thus losing Eurydice forever.
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| Lhorvie Nuevo and Marco Viaña |
The cast is led by Tanghalang Pilipino Actors Company’s
Lhorvie Nuevo playing the title role and Marco Viaña portraying her lover Orfeo.
Joining the two are guest actors Audie Gemora and Juliene Mendoza alternating
as the Father, and Alfritz Blanche as the Big Stone. The rest of TP's Actors Company complete the cast.
Loy Arcenas does double duty as the director and set
designer. Serving as assistant directors are Tanghalang Pilipino Actors
Company’s Antonette Go and Joshua Tayco. Rounding up the production staff are
Barbie Tan-Tiongco for lighting design and technical direction, Teresa
Barrozo for sound design, and James Reyes for costume design.
Eurydice by Sarah
Ruhl caps Tanghalang Pilipino’s 30th Season with the theme of #Transformance.
I’ve encountered the myth of Orpheus at least twice before.
The one that has left a lasting impact on me was the retelling of the myth in The Sandman Special: Song of Orpheus written
by Neil Gaiman, penciled by Bryan Talbot and inked by Mark Buckingham released
way back in 1991. In this issue, the myth was retold within The Sandman setting
with Orpheus being the son of Morpheus (Dream) and Calliope. The outcome of
this issue had major repercussions in the remainder of the series’ run. This issue
is included in The Sandman Vol. 6:
Fables and Reflections, released by Vertigo Comics, which
can be found in fine bookstores/comic book shops in here.
I consider it a great coincidence when I bumped into Orpheus
just recently when I received a copy of Orphée,
the latest album from Academy Award nominated composer Jóhann Jóhannsson. The
album, released by Deutsche Grammophon, is inspired by the various retelling of
the myth ranging from Ovid’s Metamorphoses
to Jean Cocteau’s film Orphée.
Listening to the album constantly for the past few weeks, I’m struck by the
haunting sound created by the combination of acoustic and electronic instruments
along with that of the shortwave radio.
It remains to be seen how Eurydice that I’ve yet to see can somehow connect to the comic and
the album. Who knows but the play may actually be worlds apart from both. This
only goes to show how timeless the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice is and how it
continues to inspire and mesmerize people even after thousands of years since
it was first told.
Eurydice by Sarah
Ruhl
February 17-March 5, 2017 | Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
(CCP Little Theater)
Ticket prices:
P1500 | P1000
50% discount for students
50% discount for students
20% discount for senior citizens, PWD, government and military personnel
For inquiries:
Tanghalang Pilipino 832-1125 local 1620-21, 822-2920
Lorelei Celestino (0915) 607-2275, (0908) 894-1384
CCP Box Office 832-3704
TicketWorld 891-9999
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