Review: Orpheus | Orfeo

Storyteller Daniel Serridge offered a masterclass in multi-disciplinary yarn sharing this October 22nd, drawing on the talents of singer-songwriter Heather Cartwright, and harpist Neil Wood, to share the twin stories of Orpheus | Orfeo.

Adopting a little of the performance poet’s rhythmic lyricism, Serridge and his merry band set about creating a total experience. From the first entrant to the Netherbow Theatre, the storyteller was asking the audience, ‘How much time do you have?’ Bemused, and amused the audience offered everything from ‘as much time as you need’ to ‘1 hour, I have plans.’

One cannot tell stories of the afterlife, and of underworlds, you see, without confronting every human’s finite supply of time. However, in pairing Greek Myth with its Shetland folktale descendant, Serridge presented two very different approaches to that truth.

First up, Orpheus, son of Apollo, deeply in love with Euridyce, and unable to let her go even if it means a trip down into Hades’ realm. Together, Serridge, Cartwight, and Wood manifested an epic adventure, from swooning romance, down across the Styx, a parlous encounter with three-headed Cerberus, to Orpheus finally brokering a deal with Hades on pain of turning the underworld into a classical rave party.

The simple, but slick integration of the evening’s musicians proved a masterstroke, Cartwright giving sweet and touching voice to both of the evening’s crooning harpists, whilst Wood supplied the needed skill with the upright strings. The singer’s unannounced introduction from the rear of the auditorium made a particularly dramatic conclusion to the show’s opening section. Hanging a plaintive love song upon the air, Cartwright made her way to the stage, joined there by Wood, only for the theatre lights to drop with a wonderfully dramatic effect. Storytelling is not theatre, but just a few tricks plucked from the stage director’s toolbox offer a world of possibilities.

Serridge, accomplished and assured, embodied Orpheus well, a scion of Olympian stock with absolute confidence in his talents and his mission. Of course, the bold harpist’s doubts grew, voiced in word, song and strings until he could not stop himself from looking back and losing his bride all over again. Just as the lord of the underworld had said, she had been following, silent as the grave, only to witness his faith falter at the last hurdle. Orpheus’s grotesque self-destruction followed on with grim inevitability.

Unwilling, in turn, to leave the evening on such a grim note, Serridge tripped lightly into the Shetland tale of King Orpheo, and his beloved Queen Lisa Bell. No lords of hell here, but a Faerie King with an eye for beautiful noblewomen, and in place of a quasi-magisterial rescue mission, a King wracked with self-doubt and propelled by a quiet, deep need to restore his marital union. In the slower pace of Orfeo, lay the patience and introspection of this very different hero. However, when his time came to win favour from his bride’s captor, his harp sang a richer, grander song than Orpheus’s, culminating in the ‘notes o’ joy’ and ‘the guide gabber reel. That would mak a sick hert heal.’

In accepting himself, Orfeo won his bride’s freedom and preserved the love strained by long years apart. These deeper themes were threaded through word and song without the need for excessive exposition, or tacit admission. Further, though proceedings were shaded with a little humour, Orpheus | Orfeo avoided any easy escape from tragedy into laughter. This was a well-orchestrated, rich evening of meaningful tale-sharing.

It’s performances like Serridge’s which transcend genre boundaries and make new fans of a discipline. This is full-body storytelling, borrowing freely from other artistic disciplines and honed to a fine edge. Perhaps lacking the depth of pathos found in Inés Álvarez Villa’s astounding Don Quixote Rides Again, still Orpheus | Orfeo wrapped its audience in a thrilling, emotional journey into myth and folk wisdom. Not every storytelling show could, or should, feature so many bells or whistles, but perhaps it will inspire others to think just a little more about their lighting, blocking, or how to integrate a little music.

Bravo Serridge, Cartwright and Wood, Orpheus | Orfeo will doubtless go down as one of the triumphs of this year’s Scottish International Storytelling Festival.