After two years of waiting, we finally performed a semi-staged production of 'Orpheus in the Underworld' at Codsall Village Hall from the 14th-16th July 2022.
Synopsis:
The story is set in Ancient Greece. Act 1 takes place below Mount Olympus (the home of the Gods) in a cornfield near Thebes and we find the local shepherds and shepherdesses tired after a long day counting sheep. They are soon subject to their daily inspection by Calliope, the Muse of Epic Poetry and mother of Orpheus. It is her job to make sure everything proceeds according to Homerian mythology.
She disapproves of her son’s marriage to Eurydice (“far too young for him” even though, as we shall see, she does appear to have a penchant for older men) but introduces her as the heroine of the piece.
Eurydice, we learn, is having “quite a Mount Olympian affair” with a shepherd by the name of Aristaeus.
Orpheus appears with his violin determined to play his latest symphony to Eurydice even though she hates both music and the violin. Aristaeus makes his entrance and having charmed the shepherdesses reveals himself to be none other than Pluto, King of Hades intent on taking Eurydice with him to his underworld home. He insists, before they go, that she sends Orpheus a text explaining her disappearance. Orpheus is delighted. Calliope, however, insists that they fly to Mount Olympus to complain to Jupiter about the turn of events. Orpheus is distraught as he now faces the prospect of getting Eurydice back but agrees to pretend to look heart-broken. He’s also scared of heights and reluctant to take to the air. A balloon descends and takes off with Orpheus and Calliope on board. The pilot is Icarus, looking suspiciously like someone in the RAF, and the three of them make their way to Mount Olympus.
This is where Act 2 opens with the gods and goddesses slumbering peacefully apart from Jupiter who is keeping a sly eye open for the somewhat late arrival of some of his children. He notices that another daughter of his, Diana, is also missing. She has been looking for Actaeon the hunter, but Jupiter has changed him into a stag as he thinks Diana has been taking too much interest in the “lusty youth”. She is upset and accuses Jupiter of double standards; all the others agree including his wife Juno who suspects he has been up to his usual tricks. They are all fed up with their everlasting life on Olympus – it’s boring. Mercury, another of Jupiter’s children, brings news of Pluto and Eurydice’s affair on earth. Jupiter summons Pluto to Olympus; he and Juno accuse him of having “dropped a King-Sized clanger”.
Meanwhile the gods and goddesses, led by Mars, have had enough of life on Olympus and Jupiter’s double standards, much to Pluto’s amusement. The balloon and its three occupants has landed and the gods and goddesses prepare to welcome their unexpected visitors. In the Act 2 finale Calliope and Orpheus make their complaint and Jupiter insists that Pluto gives Eurydice back to her husband. In order to make sure that Pluto obeys, Jupiter plans to go down to Hades, eventually agreeing to take everyone with him. They are all very excited at the prospect.
Act 3 takes place in Hades. Scene 1 is in Pluto’s den where a disconsolate Eurydice feels abandoned. She only has the “old weirdie” Styx for company. He, a former king, worships Eurydice. Pluto returns followed by Jupiter, Mars and Mercury. Jupiter is determined to find Eurydice and is delighted when Cupid offers to help. Disguised as a fly, Jupiter bewitches Eurydice before revealing his true identity as the King of the Gods.
We quickly move to one of Pluto’s gloomy vaults in Hades where everyone is in carnival mood and soon saluting Bacchus the God of Wine. Eurydice seems drawn to him much to Jupiter’s annoyance. The celebrations continue with a stately minuet followed by a somewhat more riotous galop or can-can.
Mercury brings news that Calliope and Orpheus are heading their way and Cupid suggests to Jupiter how he can “fix” Orpheus. Things don’t go to plan and the Homerian ending that Calliope would have wanted does not materialize but as the company sings,
“What a simply splendid way the story’s ended – even though it’s not as Homer once intended! We reckoned that we’d get a better operetta making up our own mythology!”
Cast list:
Eurydice - Lydia Goodall
Orpheus - Stephen Harper
Calliope - Janette Clough
Icarus - Greg Instone
Jupiter - Julian Souter
Juno - Vi Hurdley
Venus - Sheila Smith
Diana - Jane Souter
Cupid - Christina Clifton
Pluto - Adrian Peakman
Mars - Gary Gentle
Mercury - Mick Branaghan
Styx - Mac Hammond
Vulcan - Steve Robotham
Bacchus - Martin Cartwright
Produced and directed by Julian Souter
Music Director - Peter Smith
Assistant Director - Jane Souter