Orpheus X

This play is running at The Duke until December 20th. It's frightening, jarring and the music is gorgeously moving. There are many things I could say about this but I want to leave most of it alone to discuss one thing that I am very grateful to Robert Woodruff and Rinde Eckert for and that is the casting of Persephone.

Persephone, the Queen of the Dead, is played by a man. This same actor also plays the agent of Orpheus, moving swiftly and subtly between the two roles. No costume changes, no great physical adjustments. Only a refreshing and honest subtlety that is needed and appreciated. So, my hat is off to the creators of this show and all of the actors involved, and John Kelly's brave and moving performance.

I've been tired for years of men playing women and having it always be something to laugh at. I understand when it's supposed to be funny, like the players in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", but let's welcome an age in theatre where men can play women with respect and subtlety and be taken seriously. Sarah Bernhardt can play a man in Hamlet, we don't find ourselves laughing at Mary Martin as Peter Pan. Bottom line, there's a place for comedy in gender-switching, but it's so nice once in a while to see it done well in the lesser-known reversal of man playing woman.

http://www.tfana.org/orpheus_x.html