‘an imaginative and interesting interpretation but the execution needs tightening up’
A thirty-minute delay due to technical issues was a hellish way to start director Jenny Ogilvie’s re-telling of this timeless story of love and loss but the journey from the depths eventually begun.
Orpheus (William Morgan) cannot accept that Eurydice (Galina Averina) is gone so rather than face his grief, he sets out to defy the course of fate. When the Gods – primarily Amor (Rosie Lomas) – offers him a glimmer of hope, he ventures into the Underworld. But what begins as a journey to bring her home rapidly becomes a descent into the state of his own mind.
Ogilvie has set the piece in a modern-day office with Noemi Daboczi’s subdued design and costumes cleverly establishing an all too recognisable hell on earth from the outset where none of our ensemble (Isabelle Atkinson; Alexandra Meier; Guy Elliott; Jonathan Eyers) or dancers (Angus Bartlett; Louis T Partridge) care much for Orpheus’ grief, in an imaginative and interesting interpretation but the overall execution needs tightening up.
The descent into the underworld via the lift was a nice touch but the destination itself – following some accomplished re-arrangement of the set – into an Ikea-style apartment and a cast in matching nighties felt a little too comfortable. Less is often more and the staging here was just a little bit too busy and it wasn’t always easy to follow or hear what was happening.
The addition of two dancers to the ensemble to physically represent Orpheus’ turmoil was an inspired idea but they could have done with more space to perform in, unless the underlying intention was to reflect the pressures in his mind. Hopefully this can be developed further because as a visual interpretation it has a lot to offer.
There’s a cycle of repetition in the on-stage action throughout, mirroring that of the musical refrain, and which captures the tedium of existence that adds further frustration to Orpheus’ plight. This is further echoed in the use of video of the ensemble although it would have been more impactful if it was better aligned with the actual person entering the stage.
Reimagined with a new and somewhat twee English translation by George Robarts, Composer-Arranger Leo Grant has made some new arrangements to suit the reduced 15-piece orchestra, along with a series of interventions which includes pre-recorded elements by same orchestra and the addition of some electronic sounds. The former was likely intended to reinforce the mirroring effect whereas, in reality, it jarred, while the latter was surprisingly quite effective in enhancing the atmosphere.
The orchestra, conducted by Iwan Davies, had some tuning issues at times but overall captured the mood and emotion to match the physical and spiritual journey on stage, with the Dance of the Blessed Spirits after the interval particularly enjoyable.
The cast perform strongly with Lomas impactful and the ensemble impressive with all that is asked of them. Morgan performed well with a good vocal, with his plaintive ‘I have lost my Eurydice’ rather moving but he appeared to struggle on occasion at the higher register. Averina shook off a somewhat shouty start – probably not helped by being in a small room and obscured by blinds – to deliver some sweet vocalisation. Given the premise of the story however, there was a distinct lack of chemistry between them and that absence of feeling made the action seem somewhat forced.
Since 1979, English Touring Opera has been creating exceptional accessible musical theatre to tour across the UK. Further details on the company and their current productions https://englishtouringopera.org.uk/
Buxton Opera House opened in 1903, designed by the famous theatre architect Frank Matcham, and has continued to remain at the forefront of culture and entertainment with over 450 shows annually. Further details https://buxtonoperahouse.org.uk/
Reviewer: Mark Davoren
Review Date: 23rd October 2026
Star Rating: THREE