Eurydice

Berkeley Repertory Theatre continues its 2004/05 Season with Eurydice, written by up-and-coming playwright Sarah Ruhl and directed by Berkeley Rep Associate Artistic Director Les Waters. The play is an astonishing, fresh take on the classic Greek Orpheus myth, here reexamined through the eyes of the story’s oft-overlooked heroine, Eurydice.

The tragic story of Orpheus and Eurydice is a cornerstone of western mythology: shortly after her marriage to the musician Orpheus, Eurydice is fatally bitten by a snake and sent to the underworld, leaving her young husband behind to grieve. Seducing Hades, the lord of the underworld, with his beautiful music, Orpheus strikes a deal that will allow him to bring Eurydice back to life–as long as Orpheus does not look back until they have left the underworld. Reimagining this classic text from Eurydice’s point of view, with contemporary characters, ingenious twists and breathtaking visual effects, Sarah Ruhl’s award-winning play is a truly original tale.