The Harrowing of Hell.26 is an experimental and abstract piece inspired by medieval mystery plays. It depicts Christ’s descent into Hell after his crucifixion, where he confronts Satan to free the righteous souls (Adam, Eve, the patriarchs, and the prophets) held captive for millennia. The one Satan believed he had defeated returns to break down the gates of Hell. The characters oscillate between anguish and hope as they await redemption.
About the director: Méryl Vourch is an Oxford Visiting Student at Merton College. She has worked as an assistant director with Laurent Delvert and Denis Podalydès at the Opéra de Lille (Gounod’s Faust, May 2025), and assisted Caroline Staunton (Don Giovanni, Opéra Bastille, 2023) and Mariame Clément (Don Giovanni, Glyndebourne Festival, 2023). As a director, she has staged three productions in Paris: Hamlet, Alice in Wonderland (Théâtre Nicole Loraux, 2024–2025), and Mamma Mia! (MPAA, 2025).
We will be performing our play in week 6 (2 to 6 June) at the Burton Taylor Studio, from 9:30 to 10:30pm and in week 7 (9 to 11 June, tbc) in the crypt of St-Peter-in-the-East (St Edmund Hall), 8 to 9pm. We are still missing four roles (Adam, Eve, a demon, and a narrator; all backgrounds welcome, aged 18+). There are auditions this weekend (25/26 April), but anyone who is unavailable is very welcome to contact the director by email for further information.
Roles Available
- One demon (one of two): part of a grotesque and comic duo—agents of chaos, both cruel and ridiculous, frustrated by their condition.
- Adam and Eve: a bourgeois couple frozen in time, marked by long waiting, repetitive gestures, and a certain passivity.
- Narrator / Master of Ceremonies: bridges the audience and the stage, ensures dramaturgical continuity, and leads transitions, including musical interludes.
All roles include some choreographed scenes (minimal movement required).
Auditions
Please prepare a monologue of your choice (2–5 minutes) and an extract from the audition pack for your chosen role. Sign up for an audition. Contact : meryl.vourch@merton.ox.ac.uk Feel free to get in touch if you are interested or have any questions! If the audition dates have already passed but you are still interested, you are very welcome to contact us.