Eurydice

            The first take I have on this production centers around the quote, “How will you remember?” as much of the play focuses on Eurydice’s trouble remembering Orpheus and her father teaching her the ways of the underworld. This quote comes from the first scene in the first movement and is spoken by Orpheus when asking Eurydice what she can do to ensure that she will never forget how much they love each other. Although this quote comes from one of the more upbeat scenes in the play, the concept that evolves from this quote would place more emphasis on the scenes in which Eurydice struggling in in the underworld with her father trying to teach her “human” things. Her scenes with Orpheus in the beginning suddenly become more precious, as these are the only memories she has to cling onto. This concept also places a lot more emphasis on an individual’s mind rather than the characters’ relationships, as these relationships mean nothing once a person completely lets go and resigns to forget.

The second quote I would want to use is “I hope he finds you,” which comes from Eurydice’s letter to Orpheus’s next wife in the final scene. In the context of the play, Eurydice is telling Orpheus that she hopes a worm will be able to find him and give him the letter she has written, but this quote truly captures the essence of the play. For those already familiar with the myth, this quote would solidify their knowledge of the story and entice them to partake in a retelling of the classic tale. For those patrons who would go into the show blindly, it would foreshadow the most important aspect/scene of the production. Instead of putting an emphasis on Eurydice’s challenges in trying to remember the real world and her former life, this quote places more focus on the aspect of true love, specifically the idea that Orpheus’s devotion to her is what will set her free from the underworld. Therefore, the production would place more focus on hope and the anticipation of Orpheus reuniting with his wife rather than the frustrating aspects of Eurydice losing her memories and trying to hold onto the few she has.