Aucoin Ruhl EURYDICE libretto by ScoresOnDemand

! ! ! ! Eurydice

an opera

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Matthew Aucoin and Sarah Ruhl

September 18th, 2019

Act One

OVERTURE

Scene One: Orpheus and Eurydice

A young man—Orpheus—and a young woman—Eurydice—on a beach. Eurydice and Orpheus sit, back to back. He listens to the music inside his head. She reads a book. She might underline a phrase or two with a pen. Orpheus turns to Eurydice, and gestures for her to put her book down.

Orpheus makes a sweeping gesture with his arm, indicating that he will give Eurydice the sky. A flock of birds flies by.

EURYDICE:  All those birds?

Orpheus nods.

EURYDICE:  Thank you.

He turns and makes a sweeping gesture. The sea appears.

And—the sea! For me? When?

Orpheus opens his hands.

Now? It’s mine already?    He nods.

Wow.

They kiss. He indicates the sky and the heavens appear.

Surely not the sky and the stars too?!

He nods.

That’s very generous.

He nods.

Perhaps too generous?

Orpheus shakes his head.

Thank you. Now—walk over there.

Orpheus walks in a straight line on an unseen boardwalk.

Don’t look at me. Don’t look at me!

He turns his face from hers.

Steady! Eyes front!

He stops.

She runs and jumps into his arms. He doesn’t quite catch her and they fall down together. She crawls on him and kisses his eyes.

What are you thinking about?

Orpheus' double, a countertenor, appears in the light.

ORPHEUS and his DOUBLE:   Music.

EURYDICE: How can you think about music? You either hear it or you don’t.

ORPHEUS:  Then I’m hearing it.

EURYDICE:  Oh. What are you hearing?

ORPHEUS: A song I wrote for you.

EURYDICE:  Will you sing it for me?

ORPHEUS:  It has too many parts.

EURYDICE:  When can I hear it?

! ORPHEUS:  When I have an orchestra.

EURYDICE:  When will you have an orchestra?

ORPHEUS:  I’ll make each strand of your hair into an instrument. Your hair will stand on end as it plays my music. It will fly you up into the sky!

EURYDICE:  I don’t know if I want to be an instrument.

ORPHEUS:  Why?   EURYDICE:  Won’t I fall down when the song ends?

ORPHEUS:  No, the clouds will be so moved They’ll fill up with water And you’ll sit on one, falling gently to earth. How ‘bout that?

EURYDICE:  Okay.

She gazes at him.

ORPHEUS:  It’s settled then.

EURYDICE:  What is?

ORPHEUS:  Your hair will be my orchestra and— I love you.

EURYDICE:  I love you too.

ORPHEUS:  How will you remember?

EURYDICE:  That I love you?

ORPHEUS  Yes.

EURYDICE:  That’s easy. I can’t help it.

ORPHEUS:  You never know. I’d better tie a string around your finger to remind you.

He takes a string from his pocket. He takes her left hand.

This hand.

! He wraps string deliberately around her fourth finger.

Is this too tight?

EURYDICE:  No—it’s fine.

ORPHEUS:  There—now you’ll remember.

EURYDICE: That’s a very particular finger.

ORPHEUS:  Yes.

EURYDICE: You’re aware of that?

ORPHEUS: Yes.

EURYDICE: How aware?

ORPHEUS: Very aware.

EURYDICE: Orpheus—are we?

ORPHEUS:  You tell me.

EURYDICE:  Yes. I think so.

ORPHEUS:  You think so?

EURYDICE:  I wasn’t thinking! Just: yes.

ORPHEUS:  Yes?

EURYDICE:  Yes.

ORPHEUS:  Yes!

EURYDICE:  Yes!

ORPHEUS:  May our lives be full of music!

He picks her up and throws her into the sky.

EURYDICE: Maybe you could also get me another ring—a gold one—

to put over the string one. You know?

ORPHEUS:  Whatever makes you happy.

They look at each other. A silence.

EURYDICE:  What are you thinking about?

Lights up on Orpheus’ double.

ORPHEUS/ORPHEUS DOUBLE:  Music.

Her face falls.

Just kidding. I was thinking about you. And music.

EURYDICE:  Let’s go in the water. I’ll race you!

Orpheus’ double disappears.

ORPHEUS:  I’ll race you!

EURYDICE:  I’ll race you!

ORPHEUS:  I’ll race you!

EURYDICE:  I’ll race you!

They race towards the water.

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!10

Scene Two: The Father

The Father, dressed in a grey suit, reads from a letter.

FATHER:  Dear Eurydice,

A letter from your father on your wedding day.

If I could give a speech today— If I could be there— I would start with one or two funny jokes then I might offer some words of advice.

I would say:

Cultivate the arts of dancing and small talk. Everything in moderation. Court the companionship and respect of dogs. Take care to change the light bulbs. Continue to give yourself to others— for love is the ultimate satisfaction in life.

As for me, this is what it feels like being dead:

The atmosphere smells. And there are strange high pitched noises Like a tea kettle always boiling over.

But it doesn’t seem to bother anyone. Also, I am one of the only dead people who still remembers how to read and write. That’s a secret.

!11

If they found out they’d dip me in the River again.

I write you letters.   I don’t know how to get them to you.

Love,   your father.

He drops the letter as though into a mail slot. It falls on the ground.

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!12

Scene Three: The Vows

A simple wedding by the water.

EURYDICE:  Welcome, everyone. We’ve decided to write our own vows.

Eurydice and Orpheus face each other.

On the other side of the stage, during the following: In the underworld, the Father walks in a straight Line as though walking his daughter down the aisle. He is affectionate, then solemn, then glad, then solemn, Then amused, then solemn. He looks at his imaginary daughter, he looks straight ahead; He acknowledges the guests at the wedding. He gets choked up; he looks at his daughter and smiles. He looks straight ahead, calm.

He walks.

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE:  Imagine you are a book And your beloved is a book.

How can a book read another book If a book can’t read itself ? Love.

Imagine you are a book so patient and wise That it learned to read itself So it could read its favorite book.

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Imagine this book sleeps beside you every night And reads you, while you sleep.

Imagine our love as music that fills a fountain And refills every time we meet.

ORPHEUS:  Do you?

EURYDICE:  I do. Do you?

ORPHEUS:  I do.

They exchange rings.

ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE: With these rings We promise To be circles around each other…

They kiss. They process through the parting crowd, happy. The father checks his watch and exits in a hurry.

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Scene 4: A Dance The reception. Music. Orpheus and Eurydice start dancing. They have eyes only for each other.  The ensemble surrounds them, dancing.

EURYDICE:  I’m warm. Are you warm?

ORPHEUS:  Yes!

EURYDICE:  I’ll get a glass of water—

ORPHEUS:  Don’t go.

EURYDICE:  I’ll be right back.

ORPHEUS:  Promise?

EURYDICE:  Promise.

ORPHEUS:  I can’t stand to let you out of my sight today.

EURYDICE: Silly goose.

!15

Scene Five: By the Water Pump

Eurydice by a water pump that Hades has rolled out. The noise of a party from far off. She pumps water into a cup.

EURYDICE:  I hate parties. And a wedding party is the biggest party of all. All the guests arrived and Orpheus was taking a shower. He always takes a shower when guests arrive so he doesn’t have to greet them. Then I have to greet them. Oh…a wedding is for daughters and fathers. The mothers all dress up, trying to look like young women. But a wedding is for a father and a daughter. They stop being married on that day.

I always thought there would be more interesting people at my wedding.

She drinks her water. Hades appears, as an “interesting man.”

HADES:  Hello. Are you a homeless person?

EURYDICE:  No.

HADES: Oh. I’m on my way to a party. Care to join me?

!16

! EURYDICE:  No, I just left my own party.

HADES:  How interesting—to leave your own party. You must not care at all what other people think of you.

EURYDICE:  I guess.

HADES:  So would you like to accompany me to this interesting affair?

EURYDICE:  No, thank you. I just got married, you see.

HADES:  Lots of people do that.

EURYDICE:  True—lots of people do.

HADES:  What’s your name?

EURYDICE:  Eurydice.

He looks at her, hungry.

!17

HADES:  Eurydice.

EURYDICE:  Good-bye then.

HADES:  Good-bye.

She begins to exit. Hades notices a letter on the ground. He picks it up and reads it to himself.

HADES: (to himself)  Dear Eurydice…

(to her) Eurydice! Don’t go! I have a letter for you. From your father.

EURYDICE:  That’s not possible.

HADES:  He wrote down some thoughts—for your wedding day.

EURYDICE: Let me see.

HADES:  I left it at home. It got delivered to my elegant high-rise apartment by mistake.

EURYDICE:  Why didn’t you say so before?

HADES:  You left in such a hurry.

!18

! EURYDICE:  From my father?

HADES:  Yes.

EURYDICE: I knew he’d send something!

HADES:  It’ll just take a moment. I live around the block.

EURYDICE:  I only have a moment.

They exit, together.

ORPHEUS: (looking for her) Eurydice? Eurydice!

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!19

Scene Six:  At the Interesting Man’s Apartment

Eurydice and Hades walk up many, many stairs.

A loud heavy door closing. A giant loft apartment with no furniture. Eurydice and Hades enter, panting.

HADES:  Voilà.

EURYDICE:  You’re very high up.

HADES:  Yes, I am.

EURYDICE:  I feel faint.

HADES:  It’ll pass.

EURYDICE: I thought you said you were having a party.

HADES:  I like to celebrate things quietly. Don’t you?

She tilts her head to the side and stares at him.

!20

Champagne?

EURYDICE:  Water.

HADES:  Water it is! Make yourself comfortable.

He gestures to the floor and exits. He turns on terrible mood music. She looks around. She looks out the window.

EURYDICE:  I can’t stay long! I can see my wedding from here! The people are so small! They’re dancing! There’s Orpheus! He’s not dancing.

Hades re-enters with champagne, possibly wearing a bath-robe. She looks at him.

EURYDICE:  So the letter--from my father--was delivered—here—today?

HADES:  That’s right.

EURYDICE:  Through the post?

!21

HADES:  It was--mysterious.

He pours champagne for both of them.

So. Eurydice. Tell me about one person you find interesting.

EURYDICE:  Why?

HADES:  Just making conversation.

EURYDICE:  I have to go. There’s no letter, is there?

HADES:  It’s right here.

He pats his breast pocket. He stares at Eurydice and speaks slowly, with a strange, hypnotic cadence.

HADES: Orpheus’s fingers are weak and long. But me, I’m strong. Orpheus only thinks of song. I’d think of you all day long.

EURYDICE:  I feel dizzy.

HADES:  He listens to music inside his head.

!22

He never listens to you. He’s never heard a word you’ve said. He doesn’t care about you.

What’s going on inside your head? I want to know what’s going on in there… I think I can see inside your head When you tilt to the side and stare.

EURYDICE: I’m dizzy. I want my husband.

HADES:  You’re free to go whenever you like.

EURYDICE:  I know. I think I’ll go now, in fact. If you’d just hand me the letter—

She reaches for it. He takes her hand.

HADES: My lips were meant to kiss your eyelids!

EURYDICE:  Close your eyes then.

He closes his eyes, expecting a kiss. She takes the letter from his pocket and runs To the stairwell. He opens his eyes.

!23

EURYDICE:  It’s his handwriting!

HADES:  Of course it is! Don’t run, you’ll trip!

She runs for the stairs, She wavers, off balance.

EURYDICE:  Orpheus!

ORPHEUS: from below)  EURYDICE!

And Eurydice is falling down from a great height. She follows her letter down, down down…

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!24

Act Two: The Underworld

Scene 1: The Stones 1.1 The underworld. A chorus of three stones enters.

1.2 THE STONES: We are a chorus of stones.

LITTLE STONE:  I’m a little stone.

BIG STONE:  I’m a big stone.

LOUD STONE:  I’m a loud stone.

THE STONES:  We are all of us stones. We live with the dead people in the land of the dead. Here are some of the dead.

The chorus gestures to a large chorus of dead people, who murmur.

THE STONES:  Shut up. Shut up! We are telling a story.

!25

BIG STONE:  Eurydice was a great musician. Orpheus was his wife.

LOUD STONE:  Orpheus was a great musician. Eurydice was his wife.

THE STONES She died.

BIG STONE:  Then he played the saddest music.

LITTLE STONE: Even we—

THE STONES:  The stones–– cried when we heard it.

The sound of three drops of water hitting a pond.

BIG STONE:  Oh look, she is coming into the land of the dead now!

LOUD STONE:  Oh!

BIG STONE:  Oh!

THE STONES:  Oh!

!26

BIG STONE:  We might say:

THE STONES: “Poor Eurydice”

BIG STONE:  But stones don’t feel bad for dead people.

The sound of an elevator ding. An elevator door opens. Inside the elevator, it is raining. Eurydice gets rained on inside the elevator. She carries a suitcase and an umbrella. She is dressed in the kind of 1930s suit that women wore when they eloped. She looks bewildered.

The sound of an elevator ding. Eurydice steps out of the elevator. The elevator door closes.

Eurydice shakes out her umbrella And approaches the audience. She tries to speak. A great humming noise from the chorus. Eurydice shuts her mouth. She tries to speak again. A great humming noise. She stops.

THE STONES:  Eurydice wants to speak to you.

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But she can't. Now she talks in the language of dead people.

LITTLE STONE: Pretend you understand her or she'll be embarrassed.

BIG STONE: Yes--pretend you understand…

THE STONES …the language of stones.

LOUD STONE: Listen to her the way you would listen to your own daughter…

BIG STONE …if she died too young…

LITTLE STONE …and tried to speak to you across long distances.

1.3 EURYDICE:  There was a roar, and a coldness— I think my husband was with me. What was my husband’s name?

She turns to the stones.

My husband’s name? Do you know it?

!28

! The stones shrug.

How strange. I don’t remember. It was horrible to see his face When I died. His eyes were Two black birds And they flew to me.

I said—no—stay where you are— He needs you!

When I got through the cold They made me swim in a river And I forgot his name.

Oar—oar— I forget.

They took me to a tiny boat. I only just fit inside. I looked at the oars and I wanted to cry.

She tries to cry and finds that she can’t.

What happiness it would be to cry.

I was not lonely Only alone with myself Begging myself not to leave my own body But I was leaving.

!29

(to the chorus) How do you say good-bye to yourself ?

They shake their heads. A train whistle. She steps onto the train platform. A large rushing crowd.

EURYDICE:  A train!  Oh! I’m waiting for someone to meet me, I think.

Eurydice’s father approaches and takes her luggage.

1.4 FATHER:  Eurydice.

EURYDICE: (to the stones and chorus) At last, a porter to meet me! (to her father) Je suis arrivé. I need money. I’ve just arrived. I need to exchange my money at the Bureau de change. I didn’t even bring travelers’ checks Because I left in such a hurry. (gesturing to her suitcase) There’s nothing in it! That’s funny, right? I suppose I can buy new clothes. I would really love a bath.

!30

FATHER:  Eurydice.

EURYDICE: What is that language you’re speaking? Again!!

FATHER: Eurydice—I’m your father.

EURYDICE: (strangely imitating) Eurydice—I’m your father. You remind me of something But I can’t quite place it…

FATHER:  Your father!

THE STONES:  Shut up, shut up! She doesn’t understand you. She’s dead now too. You have to speak in the language of stones.

1.5 FATHER: You’re dead now. I’m dead too.

EURYDICE:  Yes, I need a reservation For the fancy hotel…

!31

FATHER:  When you were alive, I was your father.

THE STONES:  Father is not a word dead people understand.

FATHER:  When you were alive, I was your tree.

EURYDICE:  My tree! Yes, the tall one! In the backyard. I used to sit all day in its shade.

She sits at the feet of her father.

EURYDICE:  Ah—there—shade!

LOUD STONE:  There is a problem here.

FATHER: I named you Eurydice…

THE STONES:  Don’t listen!

FATHER: Your mother named the other children, But Eurydice, I chose for you.

LOUD STONE:  Be careful.

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! FATHER:  When I died, I wanted to remember your name. I asked the stones…

THE STONES:  Forget! Forget! Forget!

FATHER: They said, forget the names—the names make you remember.

BIG STONE:  We told you how it works!

FATHER:

CHORUS OF DEAD PEOPLE: (echoing him)

One day it would not stop raining.

(rain sounds—thrum…tum…etc)

I heard your name inside the rain. I saw falling letters. E––

E--

I remembered elephants.  U—

U--

I remembered ulcer and under—  R—

R--

I remembered reindeer— Saw black noses in the snow— Y---

Y--

Youth and yellow—  D—

D--

Door, dream, daughter, day— Time poured into my head. I remembered the days of the week, hours, months, and then I remembered your name,

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Eurydice!

EURYDICE:  The tree talks so beautifully.

A silence.

1.6  I’m suddenly hungry! Where is the porter who met me at the station?

FATHER:  Here I am.

EURYDICE: Please take my suitcase to my room.

FATHER:  I’m sorry, Miss, but there are no rooms here.

EURYDICE:  No rooms? Where do people sleep?

FATHER:  People don’t sleep here.

EURYDICE: I am—so disappointed. What a tiring day. Traveling on a river… (choking back a sob) Then…on a train…

THE STONES:  Don’t cry, don’t cry!

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! EURYDICE: I don’t know where I am! There are all these stones and I hate them! I want a bath! I thought someone would meet me at the station!

FATHER:  Don’t be sad–don’t cry–don’t worry. Come with me. I’ll take your luggage to your room.

They leave. The Stones shout after them.

THE STONES:  THERE ARE NO ROOMS.

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!35

Scene 2: Orpheus Writes to Eurydice.

In the world above, Orpheus writes a letter.

ORPHEUS/ORPHEUS DOUBLE:  Dear Eurydice,

I love you. I’m going to find you. I play the saddest music now you’re gone. I can’t sleep….I can't sleep... But when I do, I dream of you.

When I wake up, I think “Eurydice is dead.” Then I think, “Who is Eurydice?”

Then the whole room starts to float and I think “What are people?” And “Who am I?”

It scares me, Eurydice.

I’ll give this letter to a worm. I hope he finds you.

Love, Orpheus

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!36

Scene 3: A Room Made Out of String

3.1 In the underworld, the father begins to build a room out of string for Eurydice. String instruments play. Time passes. It takes time to build a room out of string. Eurydice observes the underworld. There isn’t much to observe. She plays hop-scotch without chalk. She sits down in her suitcase. Every so often, The father looks at her, Happy to see her, While he makes her room out of string. She looks back at him, polite. The father finishes the string room. The father gestures for Eurydice to enter the string room. She enters.

3.2 EURYDICE:  Thank you. That will do.

She nods to her father. He doesn’t leave.

Oh. I suppose you want a tip.

He shakes his head.

Would you run a bath for me?

!37

! Yes, miss.

She nods. He exits. A letter falls from the sky to the ground. The father sees it, picks up the letter, and dusts it off.

FATHER:  A letter for you, miss.

EURYDICE:  A letter?

He nods. He hands her the letter.

FATHER:  A letter. Addressed to you.

EURYDICE:  There’s dirt on it.

She gets up, wipes the dirt off the letter. She opens it. She scrutinizes it. She doesn’t know how to read it. She puts it on the ground, takes off her shoes, and stands on the letter, and shuts her eyes.

FATHER:  Miss…would you like me to read you the letter?

!38

EURYDICE:  Read you the letter?

He guides her off.

It’s addressed to Eurydice. That’s you.

EURYDICE:  That’s you.

FATHER:  You. It says: I love you.

EURYDICE:  I love you?

FATHER: (reading from the letter)  “I’m going to find you. I play the saddest music now you’re gone.”

EURYDICE:  Music?

FATHER: Music!

She smiles.

EURYDICE:  Go on.

!39

FATHER:  “I’ll give this letter to a worm. I hope he finds you. Love, Orpheus.”

EURYDICE: Orpheus!  That word! It’s like—I can’t breathe. Orpheus! My husband!

She looks at her father suddenly.

And you? Who are you?

FATHER Your tree… Remember…

EURYDICE My tree… The tall one… I used to sit all day in its shade… Oh…you are my father!

FATHER Yes! Your father, your tree, your shade…

EURYDICE My father, my tree, my shade…

Father and daughter embrace.

!40

EURYDICE:  Tell me more names, tell me the name of my mother.

FATHER:  It will make you sad.

EURYDICE: I’d rather be sad.

The father whispers her mother’s name into Eurydice’s ear. She remembers.

Up above, Orpheus begins to slowly, carefully lower a heavy book down into the underworld on a string.

!41

! Scene 4: Eurydice Learns to Read Again

4.1 ORPHEUS: Dear Eurydice,

I wonder if you miss reading books.

The book lands gently in the underworld. The Father picks it up. It is the Collected Works of William Shakespeare. The father reads to Eurydice from King Lear.

4.2 FATHER:  “We two alone will sing like birds i’th’ cage When thou dost ask me blessing, I’ll kneel down And ask of thee forgiveness. So we’ll live And pray, and sing, and tell old tales, and laugh At gilded butterflies, and hear poor rogues Talk of court news, and we’ll talk with them too, Who loses and who wins; who’s in, who’s out; And take upon’s the mystery of things…”

! !

Orpheus sings from the land of the living: ORPHEUS:

When I first knew I loved you--

Eurydice with her father in the string room, re-learning language.

!42

EURYDICE:  Teach me another word. FATHER:  Ostracize. ORPHEUS

I wrote you a letter--

EURYDICE:  What does it mean?

FATHER:  To exclude. When the Greeks decided to banish someone, they wrote the name of the banished person on a white piece of pottery called ostrakon.

EURYDICE:  Ostrakon. Teach me another. ORPHEUS: I wrote: I love your soul. But I spelled it S-O-L-E. FATHER:  Defunct.

EURYDICE:  Defunct. ORPHEUS:

S-O-L-E---

FATHER:  It means dead in a very abrupt way. Not the way I died, which was slowly. But all at once, in cowboy boots.

!43

! ! EURYDICE: (studiously) Defunct. Dead, in cowboy boots.

ORPHEUS: You corrected my spelling And you said you loved me too… I’ll find you…I’ll find you…   EURYDICE:  I remember! I always loved words, Words and books and stories… Words were my music. But Orpheus…

4.3 …Orpheus never liked words. He had his music. He would get a funny look on his face and I would say what are you thinking about and he would always be thinking about music.

4.4 This is what it is to love an artist: The moon is always rising above your house. The houses of your neighbors look dark and dull. But he is always going away from you. Inside his head there is always something more beautiful.

This is what it is to love an artist.

!44

! He said: words can mean anything. Show me your body. It only means one thing.

This is what it is to love an artist. This is what it is to love.

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! ! Scene 5: Orpheus Makes a Plan

Orpheus holding a straw.

ORPHEUS: Eurydice, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t kiss a dead man. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going the way of death.

Here is my plan: Tonight, when I go to bed, I will turn off the light and put a straw in my mouth. When I fall asleep, I will crawl through the straw and my breath will push me like a great wind into the darkness and I will sing your name. I will go down and sing for the devils and they will cry and they will cry and they will cry through their parched throats. Wait for me.

Orpheus blows into a straw. A breath. He disappears.

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!46

! ! Scene 6: No one knocks at the door of the dead

The Stones, alone in the underworld. Suddenly they hear the voice of Orpheus and his double, singing wordlessly. The Stones are alert.

LITTLE STONE What is that?

LOUD STONE: What is that?

BIG STONE: Someone is singing!

BIG STONE and LOUD STONE: Singing is not allowed here! Singing is not allowed here!

Orpheus continues to sing, unfazed. His voice is drawing closer.

THE STONES: Someone call the boss!!!

The chorus begins to murmur, as if gradually emerging from sleep.. Hades appears. He’s furious.

HADES: Okay, what’s the big idea? Who thinks they can just come by and sing down here???

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The chorus begins to sing ecstatically, in sympathy with Orpheusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; voice. They seem to be reaching for language, on the verge of remembering themselves. A series of tremendous knocks.

HADES and THE STONES: NO ONE KNOCKS AT THE DOOR OF THE DEAD! NO ONE KNOCKS AT THE DOOR OF THE DEAD! NO ONE KNOCKS AT THE DOOR OF THE DEAD!

Intermission

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! ! Act Three

Scene One: Orpheus at the Gates of Hell

1.1 Orpheus stands at the closed gates of hell. The chorus wordlessly sings. Orpheus knocks. The stones look at him, suspicious.

ORPHEUS: I am Orpheus. I’ve come for Eurydice.

LOUD STONE: You can’t come here.

LITTLE STONE: You can’t sing here.

BIG STONE: Unless you sing in a dead language.

Little Stone and Loud Stone look at Big Stone, annoyed.

Orpheus gathers himself and sings a song in Latin. The translation in English is projected onto the gates, which slowly open during the aria, and light pours in.

! !

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! ! 1.2 ORPHEUS: Felix, qui potuit boni

(Oh happy the man who viewed

Fontem visere lucidum

All the radiant source of Good

Felix, qui potuit gravis

(Happy the man who broke

Terrae solver vincula

All the burdensome chains of earth)

Et dulci veniam prece

(And in gentle and lyric prayer

Umbrarum dominos rogat

Ask the lords of the shades for grace)

! ! !

No longer able to contain himself, Orpheus speaks in his own language.

ORPHEUS: All I have I give for love. I won’t go back. I won’t go back… so death—take me, or give me: Eurydice. Eurydice!

The gates are now fully open. The stones weep. They look at the tears, bewildered.

Hades comes out of a trap door.

HADES: Hey!

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1.3 Don’t you think you are enjoying your grief just a little bit too much?

ORPHEUS:  No.

HADES:  Who are you?

ORPHEUS AND ORPHEUS DOUBLE:  I am Orpheus.

HADES:  I am lord of the underworld.

ORPHEUS:  Did you like my music?

HADES:  No. I prefer happy music with a nice beat. But no matter.   You’ve come for Eurydice.

ORPHEUS:  Yes!

HADES:  And you thought singing would get you through the gates of hell.

ORPHEUS:  I want my wife.

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HADES: If you want your wife, you’ll have to walk through the dark and hope she follows you. You’ll have to walk half-blind under the earth and wonder: Is she behind you? You’re free to go. She’s free to follow you. But are you sure which you’d choose? Would you choose her real face, Or would you choose the music that now, only now, you can sing: The music of her death?  Are you certain which you’d choose?

ORPHEUS:  Yes. I choose Eurydice.

HADES:  Fine. Face front. If you look back at her—poof—she’s gone! And you lose your wife a second time. Understand?

ORPHEUS:  I look straight ahead? I don’t look at her?

HADES:  Yes.

ORPHEUS: That’s easy.

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HADES:â&#x20AC;¨ Good.

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! Scene Two: Eurydice and her Father

2.1 EURYDICE:  I hear him at the gates! That’s his music! He’s come to save me!

FATHER:  Do you want to go with him?

EURYDICE:  Yes, of course!

She sees that his face falls.

EURYDICE: Oh--you’ll be lonely, won’t you?

FATHER:  No, no. Go to your husband. Have grandchildren. You’ll all come down and meet me one day.

EURYDICE:  Are you sure?

FATHER: You should love your family until the grapes grow dust on their purple faces. I’ll take you to him.

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EURYDICE:  Now?

FATHER:  It’s for the best.

He takes her arm. They process, arm in arm, as at a wedding. They are solemn and glad. They walk.

They see Orpheus up ahead.

FATHER:  Is that him?

EURYDICE:  Yes--I think so--

FATHER:  His shoulders aren’t very broad. Can he take care of you?

Eurydice nods.

FATHER:  Are you sure?

EURYDICE:  Yes.

FATHER:  If he turns around and sees you, you’ll die a second death. So step quietly. And don’t cry out.

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EURYDICE:  I won’t.

FATHER:  Good-bye.

EURYDICE: Good-bye!

They embrace.

EURYDICE:  I’ll come back to you. I seem to keep dying.

FATHER:  Don’t let them dip you into the River too long next time. Hold your breath.

EURYDICE:  I’ll look for a tree.

FATHER:  I’ll write you letters.

EURYDICE:  Where will I find them?

FATHER:  I don’t know yet. Good-bye, Eurydice.

EURYDICE:  Good-bye.

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They move away. The father waves. She waves back, as though on an old steamer ship. The father exits.

2.2 Eurydice takes a deep breath. She takes a big step forward on an unseen gangplank. She is brave.

She takes another step forward. She hesitates. She is all of a sudden not so brave. She is afraid.

SHE LOOKS BACK.

She turns in the direction of her father.

He’s out of sight.

EURYDICE: Wait, come back!

LITTLE STONE: You can’t turn back now, Eurydice.

LOUD STONE:

Face forward!

BIG STONE:  Keep walking.

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! EURYDICE:  I’m afraid!

BIG STONE:  Your husband is waiting for you, Eurydice.

EURYDICE:  That’s a stranger!

LOUD STONE:  Go on. It’s him.

EURYDICE:  I want to go home! I want my father!

LITTLE STONE:  You’re all grown up now. You have a husband.

STONES:  TURN AROUND!

EURYDICE:  Why?

LOUD STONE:  Orpheus braved the gates of hell to find you.

BIG STONE:  He played the saddest music.

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LITTLE STONE:  Even we—

STONES:  The stones— LITTLE STONE:  cried when we heard it. She turns slowly.

EURYDICE:  That's Orpheus?

STONES:  Yes, that's him!

EURYDICE: Where's his music?

STONES:  It's in your head. 2.3 Orpheus walks slowly, in a straight line, with the focus of a tight-rope walker.

Eurydice moves to follow him. She follows him, several steps behind.

THEY WALK. The chorus hums.

Eurydice follows him with precision, one step for every step he takes.

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! She makes a decision. She increases her pace. She takes two steps for every step that Orpheus takes. She catches up to him. EURYDICE:  Orpheus?

A small sound--ping. HE TURNS TOWARDS HER, STARTLED. ORPHEUS LOOKS AT EURYDICE. EURYDICE LOOKS AT ORPHEUS.

THE WORLD FALLS AWAY.

2.4 ORPHEUS:  You startled me.

EURYDICE:  I’m sorry.

They turn away from each other, matter-of-fact, compelled. The lights turn blue. They walk away from each other on extensive unseen boardwalks, their figures long shadows. ORPHEUS:  Why?

EURYDICE: I think I see the gates.

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The stones—the boat— it looks familiar…

ORPHEUS: Don’t look—

EURYDICE The stones look happy to see me—

ORPHEUS:  Don’t look!

EURYDICE: I can see the river! ORPHEUS: Think of things we did:

we went ice skating--

EURYDICE: …And the train… ORPHEUS: I tied your laces up so tight and on the ice

we flew--

EURYDICE: It looks, it looks like, it looks-like home….

She disappears. Orpheus sings, wordlessly.

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Scene 3: The Father Undoes the String Room

3.1  The Father alone in the string-room.

FATHER: Eurydice is gone.

The father looks at the stones. He looks at the string room. He dismantles the string room, matter-of-fact. This can take time. It takes time to dismantle a room made of string. Music. He sits down in what used to be the string room. The stones enter.

FATHER: How does a person remember to forget. It's difficult.

BIG STONE:  It’s not difficult.

LITTLE STONE: It’s not difficult.

LOUD STONE:  We told you how it works. Dip yourself in the river.

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BIG STONE: Dip yourself in the river.

ALL STONES: Dip yourself in the river.  You’ll forget your whole life.

FATHER:  I need directions.

A pause. The father thinks. He can’t remember. He thinks back further. The chorus hums. And the father remembers directions to his childhood home. As he speaks, he starts to undress down to his undershirt and underwear.

3.2 FATHER:  I remember. Take Tri-State South—294-to Route 88 West. You’ll go over a bridge. Go three miles and you’ll come to the exit for Middle Road. Take a left on Fernwood Avenue. A red brick house will be on the right. Look for Illinois license plates. Go inside the house. !63

You’ll see the lights on the Mississippi River. Take off your shoes. Walk down the hill. You’ll pass a tree good for climbing on the right. Cross the road. Watch for traffic. Cross the train tracks. Catfish are sleeping in the mud, on your left.

He starts singing.

Roll up your jeans. Count to ten. Put your feet in the river and swim.

He dips himself in the river. A small metallic sound of forgetfulness--ping. The sound of water. He lies down on the ground, curled up, asleep.

3.3 Eurydice returns and sees that her string room is gone.

EURYDICE:  Where’s my room?

The stones are silent.   WHERE IS MY ROOM? Answer me!

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BIG STONE:  It’s none of our business.

LOUD STONE: What are you doing here?

BIG STONE:  You should be with your husband.

LITTLE STONE:  Up there.

EURYDICE:  Where’s my father?

The stones point to the father.

(to the Stones) Why is he sleeping?

The stones shrug their shoulders. Eurydice turns back to her father.   It’s me! Orpheus looked! I decided to come back!

LOUD STONE:  He can’t hear you.

LITTLE STONE:  It’s too late.

EURYDICE:  What are you talking about?

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! BIG STONE:  He dipped himself in the River.

EURYDICE:  My father did not dip himself in the River.

LOUD STONE:  He wanted some peace and quiet.

EURYDICE: (to the stones) He did not… He did not…

(to her father) Listen. I'll teach you the words. Then we'll know each other again. Ready? We'll start with my name. Eurydice. E U R Y ....

LITTLE STONE:   He can’t hear you.

BIG STONE:  He can’t see you.

LOUD STONE:  He can’t remember you.

EURYDICE: (to the stones) Shut up! Shut up!

(to her father) Listen. I’ll tell you a story.

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! LITTLE STONE:  He can’t hear you.

BIG STONE:  He can’t see you.

LOUD STONE:  He can’t remember you.

THE STONES:  Try speaking in the language of stones.

EURYDICE:  Stone. Rock. Tree. Rock. Stone.

It doesn’t work. She holds her father.

LOUD STONE:  Didn’t you already mourn for your father, young lady?

BIG STONE:  To mourn twice is excessive.

LITTLE STONE:  To mourn three times a sin.

LOUD STONE:  Life is like a good meal.

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! LITTLE STONE: Only gluttons want more food when they finish their helping.

LOUD STONE:  It’s weird for a dead person to be morbid.

LITTLE STONE:  We don’t like to watch it!

LOUD STONE: We don’t like to see it!

BIG STONE: It makes me uncomfortable.

Eurydice cries.

STONES:  Ah! Uh oh. Don’t cry! Don't cry!

LITTLE STONE: Learn the art of keeping busy!

BIG STONE and LOUD STONE:  Yes! Learn the art of keeping busy!

EURYDICE: IT'S HARD TO KEEP BUSY WHEN YOU'RE DEAD!

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! STONES: It’s not hard! We keep busy and we like it We're busy busy busy busy stones Watch us work Keeping still Keeping quiet It’s hard work to be a stone No time for crying No time for crying No time for crying No no no!

EURYDICE: I HATE YOU! I’VE ALWAYS HATED YOU!

She runs towards them and tries to hit them.

STONES:  Go ahead. Try to hit us.

LITTLE STONE: You'll hurt your fist.   BIG STONE: You'll break your hand.

STONES: Ha ha ha!

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! 3.4 Enter Hades. He has grown.  He is now at least ten feet tall.

HADES:  Is there a problem here?

STONES:  No, sir.

HADES: (to Eurydice)  So you decided to come back to us, huh? Good.

EURYDICE:  It’s you!

HADES: (He looks her over.) Finally, you’ll be my bride.

EURYDICE:  Please. Leave me alone.

HADES:  I’ll have them start preparing the satins and silks.

EURYDICE: No!

HADES: You can’t refuse me. I’ve made my choice.

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EURYDICE: (coy)  Can I have a moment to prepare myself ?

HADES:  Don’t be long. The wedding songs are already being written. They’re very quiet. A song is two dead bodies rubbing under the covers to keep warm.

He exits.

3.5 LOUD STONE: Well, well!

BIG STONE:  Well, well!

LITTLE STONE: You had better prepare yourself.

EURYDICE:  There is nothing to prepare.

BIG STONE:  You had better comb your hair.

LOUD STONE:  You had better find a veil.

EURYDICE:  I don’t need a veil. I need a pen!

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ALL STONES:  Pens are forbidden here.

EURYDICE:   There must be a pen. There are. There must be.

She remembers the pen and paper in the breast pocket of her father’s coat. She takes them out. She holds the pen up to show the stones. She gloats.

EURYDICE:  A pen!

She writes a letter.

3.6 EURYDICE: Dear Orpheus,

I’m sorry. I don’t know why I called your name. I was afraid. I’m not worthy of you. But I still love you, I think. Don’t try to find me again. You would be lonely for music. I want you to be happy. I want you to marry again. I am going to write out instructions for your next wife.

To my Husband’s Next Wife:

Be gentle. Be sure to comb his hair when it’s wet. Do not fail to notice

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that his face flushes pink like a brideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when you kiss him. Give him lots to eat. He forgets to eat and he gets cranky.

When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sad, kiss his forehead and I will thank you. Because he is a young prince, because his robes are too heavy on him, because this is what it is to love another--this is what it is to love.

Love, Eurydice.

She puts the letter on the ground. She dips herself in the river.

3.7 A small metallic sound of forgetfulness--ping. The sound of water. She lies down next to her father, as though asleep.

An elevator descends. Orpheus appears in the elevator. He sees Eurydice. He is happy. He opens his mouth as if to sing. The elevator starts raining on Orpheus. He forgets. He steps out of the elevator. He sees the letter on the ground.

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He picks it up. He scrutinizes it. He canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t read it. He stands on it. He closes his eyes. A silence.

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The end.

! ! ! ! ! ! !

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