What's Mything?

This week's Studio 360 was all about artwork influence by myth. They focused on the Orpheus myth of greek mythology, and looked at theatre, film, and music that explored and expanded on the myth. Most of the material looks at the idea of Orpheus as artist, and what the myth has to say about how and why we create art.

Right at the start I shook my fist at the radio and said, "Hey, Kurt Anderson. Mr. Radio Host. You better talk to Nick Cave, because he's got a great song about Orpheus."

And he does. It's on the 2nd disc for his new album, Abattoir Blues / Lyre of Orpheus. And while Cave isn't interviewed, they do listen to the song briefly.

The most interesting segment is probably the interview with Sarah Ruhl, whose play Eurydice picks up where the story left off. Eurydice, as all who enter the underworld do, loses her memory and her ability with language after dying. The spirit of her father, who somehow managed to retain his memory, finds her and teaches her to speak and remember. It sounds like an amazing idea, and I might look into getting a copy of the script at some point.

Personally, I'm more attracted to myths of trickery. Particularly when the gods get tricked into giving something to mankind or the gods trick each other. Prometheus, Loki, Coyote...there are so many and I love them all. But to each their own.

Excelsior.