In Hadestown, Anaïs Mitchell combines two stories from Ancient Greek mythology: linking that of Hades abduction of Persephone with Orpheus’ attempt to rescue Eurydice from the Underworld.
From an original staging that toured in New England back in 2006, it was developed through a concept album, a concert performance at the Union Chapel and Off-Broadway and Canadian productions before this version was first staged and the National Theatre in 2018 prior to its launch on Broadway, where it is still running.
It looks as it it did in the National (where Philip Fisher reviewed it), staged with band and cast on a stepped semicircle around a performance space with concentric revolves around a central lift with stairs leading up to a New Orleans-looking balcony. Rachel Hauck’s set is more compact here than in the Olivier, its jazz club-like atmosphere more intimate when bathed in the warm glow of Bradley King’s lighting, though that can turn dazzlingly dramatic.
From the moment that Melanie La Barrie as messenger Hermes peels off her jacket to reveal a glittery waistcoat and begins to narrate the story, this sung-through musical casts a strange spell with its succession of songs that range from folk and blues to romantic enveloped in a jazz idiom and sung by a cast of fine voices. Its energy is strong enough to counter the tall folk with big heads who blocked my view of action centre stage and the distraction of the continuously flickering fan of the guy next to me and his enthusiastic whoops at every number. I had a very good seat—I just need to be taller!
Persephone’s leaving our world to live in Hades’ underworld plunges Earth into perpetual winter bringing crop death and famine. It is easy to see an allegory for global climate change. Hades is styled as a powerful capitalist; the workers in his Hadestown factory are working at building a wall to keep them in and to keep out the unwanted. It recalls Donald Trump and his wall on the Mexican border (though written long before he was President) and earlier such barriers elsewhere.
Struggling to keep going while her lover Orpheus seems concerned only with the song he is writing, Eurydice finds herself in Hadestown, the Underworld controlled by Hades. Orpheus wants to complete his song to bring Spring’s return, but he goes down to Hades to bring her back. Well, I’m sure that you know what happens and the storytelling isn’t Hadestown’s strong point: it is the music, with great singing, and the performance of David Neumann's vibrant choreography that make this something special.
Zachary James makes an imposing figure of Hades, his clear voice sometimes producing a sinister growl, and Gloria Onitiri is a glamorous, sunny Persephone, whose dresses turn grey in the underworld. She pleads with her Underworld husband for the release of Eurydice and her reunion with Orpheus. Those young lovers are relative newcomer Grace Hodgett Young (who made her professional debut only a few months ago in Sunset Boulevard) and Dónal Finn as self-absorbed Orpheus, seemingly effortlessly displaying an extraordinarily high vocal range. As the Fates, Bella Brown, Madeline Charlemagne and Allie Daniel strut their stuff as a feisty vocal trio who also brandish instruments.
The rest of the cast are the workers in Hades’ factory, and director Rachel Chavkin works them hard both in Neumann’s exhausting choreography and staying on stage to people the atmospheric club; they provide the continuity which makes this a performance full of action, whether it is the contraflow of dancers on revolves, a descent underground or an image that captures an intimate moment.
These elements all came together to grip attention except for a few moments towards the end of the story, where things are stretched out in darkness, I felt that they failed to sustain the intended apprehension, but this cast earn the enthusiast applause that rewards them—and don’t rush out too quickly: the final number forms part of the curtain call.