Event #2: Performance at Memorial Hall

Tonight, I went to the performance of Orpheus et Eurydice by Compagnie Marie Chouinard. It was about the Greek tragedy of two lovers named Orpheus and Eurydice. Orpheus was a poet who fell in love with a tree nymph named Eurydice. However, Eurydice was bitten by a poisonous snake and was sent to the underworld ruled by the Greek god, Hades. Orpheus journeyed to the underworld to bring Eurydice back to earth so he made a deal with Hades: Orpheus could take Eurydice, but he had to walk in front of her and not look back when they were leaving the underworld. Hearing all of the horrible noises made by the demons as they were leaving, Orpheus looks back and loses Eurydice forever.

I must admit that the performance was not what I expected. There were really no props, backdrops or costumes. This allowed the audience to focus specifically on the dancers and their movements (minimal clothing only added to this fact). Also, the dancers were not quiet but they screamed and contorted their faces often having their mouths hang wide open and sticking their tongues out... definitely not what is typical of dancers. However, these strange antics made the audience become focused on the dancers and ask why they were behaving that way. During the middle of the performance, one of the lead dancers actually jumped out into the audience and started climbing over people and seats. This definitely caught the audience's attention. I particularly liked the introduction to the Greek myth when one dancer stood up and told the story while the others acted it out. This dancer told the story like he was in pain (this represents the Greek tragedy) and he also danced while he talked which made it seem like he and the audience were part of the story.

Overall, the performance was very strange and haunting. However, Chouinard did add some comical areas into the performance that were effective in lifting the audience's mood. It was definitely an experience that will not be forgotten; it helped broaden my horizons from what is considered to be typical and I will probably try to go see another performance before the end of the semester.