Orpheus: A New Musical
Reviewer: Paige Kynoch
Venue: The Annexe at theSpace @ Symposium Hall
Rating: ★★★ 3/5
Orpheus: A New Musical is an attempt to reinvigorate the classic myth: Orpheus, a bard, ventures to the underworld in an attempt to bring back his love, Eurydice, to the land of the living. Hades, after listening to the bard’s song, makes an exception for him and allows Eurydice to return, but only on the condition that he does not look back while they trek back to the overworld.
This group of young performers were quite talented; they were convincing in their roles, did not fumble their lines once, and were quite charismatic. However, I unfortunately have to point out that the singing was quite pitchy at moments, was drowned out by the backing tracks a lot of the time, and was sometimes off-key. That being said, they are still young and, in comparison, as said previously, their acting was excellent. They were all great, but the highlights of the show were absolutely the Oracle and the three performers manning the Cerberus puppet. They are a very talented, well-rounded group.
The show started seven minutes late, and as soon as it was done, we were immediately ushered out as the theatre had to “be vacated immediately”, which is probably not unheard of for a Fringe show, but the brisk manner of the action stuck with me. It was also slightly off-putting to catch glimpses of who I assume was the director gesturing for the children to sing higher, but that is what happens in theatre, so I understand. I think it would have been beneficial to have the songs in a lower key, as the change between their singing and speaking voices was very drastic, and their confidence came through more in their natural speaking voices.
Housed in The Annexe at theSpace @ Symposium Hall, the venue is completely flat terrain, so it is very beneficial for accessibility. The show runs until the 16th.
Honestly, I know how it feels to be in their position, as I did theatre as a child and know how it feels to dedicate yourself to a role and put in that amount of work. This young troupe are doing a commendable job, and to be at the Fringe is a commendable feat. While I think there are several aspects to be improved, that is not to say that the show is unwatchable, far from it; there is a genuine charm to the musical, and if you believe in supporting youth theatre, then I recommend it.
★★★
