A local theatre group updates an ancient Greek myth for an international audience

After its hit, one-evening-only presentation of opera scenes in "Mozart in Mischief" as part of last year's Bangkok Theatre Festival, NUNi (short for Never Underestimate New Ideas) Productions continues to live up to its name with "The Orpheus Schemata".

"This is theatre based on emotion, memory and experience, rather than narrative," says co-director Bua Rajadhon of the  new work, subtitled "A Liminal Theatre Production".

This interdisciplinary work - inspired by the Greek myth 'Orpheus and Eurydice' and Gluck's opera of the same story - consists of movement, sound, monologue and stage acting.

"It started from an image that kept recurring to me. A man, fronting the audience, is holding a woman, who has her back to the audience. No matter how hard he tries to hold on to her, she keeps slipping onto the floor. I mentioned this to faculty colleague [and co-director] meLe Yamomo, and he said, 'That's Orpheus.' And so we came up with the central theme that 'You go through hell to find love, but you lose love at the end anyway', then we looked at various stories, fictional and non-fictional, from different cultures."

Thus, the Greek myth has evolved into several tales on stage, among them the pain and devastation caused by the 2004 tsunami.

English the main language

Although English is the main language of the production, other languages will also be spoken, and there are English and Thai translations in the programme, as well as in the video projections accompanying the performance, Bua says. "We've designed 'Orpheus' as a compact production, very universal and for an international audience. We're planning to take it to a fringe-theatre festival in Taiwan in September."

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>> "The Orpheus Schemata" will be performed tomorrow and Sunday and from May 16 to 18 at Makhampom Studio, a five-minute walk from Saphan Kwai Skytrain station.

>> Showtime is 7.30pm, with 2pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays.

>> Tickets cost Bt200 (Bt150 for students), bookable at (086) 900 0445, or see www.NuniProductions.

com.