Eurydice, a play by Sarah Ruhl at the Wilma Theater, Philadelphia. We are willing to follow Sarah Ruhl's plays to the ends of the earth and Philadelphia is thankfully hardly so very far for us. In fact the trip from Princeton is an hour. It was our first visit to the Wilma but considering the quality of the work we saw, it will not be our last.
We first saw Eurydice at the Yale Repertory Theatre with many of its original West Coast cast including Maria Dizzia and it was that production which had an acclaimed run at the Second Stage Theater. Now the Wilma in Philadelphia is presenting Eurydice in a new staging, directed by Blanka Zizka and with a fine young cast headed by Merritt Janson who if anything has even surpassed Dizzia for her dewy sweetness and poignancy. Equally heartbreaking in his portrayal of Eurydice's father is Stephen Novelli. The sad trio is completed by the excellent Benjamin Huber as Orpheus. A notable feature of this production that is quite different from the New Haven is the prominence of the incidental music composed by Toby Twining and it is a fine enhancement giving this new production added power.
Eurydice is a modern masterwork, one of the finest recent American plays we've had the privilege to experience. No father or daughter could possibly see it without experiencing a profound catharsis. This is not to be missed. Broadway Bridge and Tunnel Test Grade: A+