On the Fourth of March, I had the incredible privilege to see the Broadway cast of Hadestown in their very short run on the West End. This show has been on my list for a long time to see, and I'm still in shock that I not only got to see it, but I got to see it with the original Broadway cast. I always knew I would love the show, but I have to say it was better than I could have ever imagined.
Upon arriving at the Lyric Theatre, it was incredibly busy up until a matter of minutes before the show was due to start. I have to say that the audience was one of the most simultaneously respectful and eager audiences I have ever had the pleasure to have been a part of. It was clear from the roar of applause and whistles that not only did nearly everyone know and love the soundtrack but that they were very aware of the Broadway legends that stood on the stage in front of them. The only cast member who was due to appear and did not was Patrick Page, who has had to dip out of the rest of the run as a result of an injury. However, at the time of writing, is still due to appear in the Pro-Shot. The role of Hades, as a result, has been taken up by the outstanding Phillip Boykin, who only recently graced the stage with his rendition of Hades on Broadway. Ultimately, I think it is not a surprise to anyone when I say that it was fantastic. From the increasingly relevant soundtrack that seems to connect with the very humanity of every audience member to the brilliant use of lighting to very clearly convey the intention of every moment of the show. I think it goes without saying that if you ever have the opportunity to see this show, there is no question that you should.
Hadestown and its commentary on what it means to be human:
The driving force of nearly every action in the show is fear. This is what drives Eurydice to turn to Hades, what causes Orpheus to turn around, what makes Hades abuse his power, and humans to turn against one another when Persephone is gone and they fear she might not return this time. To name just a few examples. This is one of the core themes that has been retained in this outstanding reimagining of the Greek tragedy. I think that is what is really important when adapting such ancient plays. Is to take their morals and stories and just as they would have connected with the original audience in their reality, updating them to connect with the modern audience in our reality as it makes the morals feel more tangible and especially with a show like this, leaves the audience actually feeling something very real. I think also the fact that the gods in Hadestown also have their lives largely dictated by fear is really important, as it forces the audiences to view it in a modern setting where they are effectively glorified humans with too much power. Which is the gateway to abuse. As any true god would not feel that fear of loss of power. Creating this incredible dynamic where, in particular, Hades is in a constant race to get away from any element of humanity in himself as he has abused his power to the point where it comes to buying and selling, not true power. Which only brings him closer to being human with a very real hamartia. Which not only drives a wedge between him and Persephone, as she only fears what Hades is driving humanity to do to the planet. As her power is within her and is respected by people not out of fear but out of appreciation and generosity. But also causes him to be so fearful and aggressive to Orpheus as his power is in truth, which is the one thing that would cause Hades entire façade to crumble. Which again shows the audience why he fears and why he is ultimately the weakest character in the entire show, as one human who sees ‘how the world could be’ is able to change the mindset of everyone he is in control of.
The other core theme throughout the show that is presented as the cause of fear is love. As love is what causes fear and doubt in so many, it is the reason for them to go on living but is also what conquers the harmful mindsets of those indoctrinated by Hades and cynicism, causing him to fear the potential demise of his power. Hadestown presents love and fear as the balanced duality of the human experience. As love opens up a new world to Eurydice ‘despite herself’ to allow her to finally see something in life that isn’t just survival, it is also what arguably causes Orpheus to ignore her as he works on the song, as he knows the love that keeps him going could go away in the blink of an eye if he doesn’t finish it. Showing it as this human contradiction of love opening eyes and causing blindness to the most important parts of our lives. It also goes along with the contrast between the actions of the older generation and the younger generation, as fear of losing love overtook the older generation of Hades and Persephone and drove them to division, climate destruction, and a delicate hubris. These actions leave the younger generation of Orpheus and Eurydice to fear the consequences of their actions for the future of their love. Which also, by extension, presents to the audience with the possibility of future change and a love that can overtake fear despite the actions of those in the past beyond the contrast in these couples but in our real lives. We also see this contrasting love in the outcomes of their relationships as Hades and Persephone get to stay together but grow further apart, whilst Orpheus loses Eurydice to his very humanity, but many would argue that it is better to love truly and not for long, leaving the audience to appreciate the love they have right now.
Hadestown also doesn’t attempt to provide a solution to humanity's faults and constant drive for power. What it does do is aim to highlight the harmful effects of giving too much power to one individual and the fear that it brings to that person and the way that fear affects those under their power. The only solution it does attempt to give is the act of togetherness. As we should ‘believe in us together more than anyone alone.’ As the very thing that is humanity is that we all have this balancing act between fear and love, making togetherness the solution. Standing up in a group is the only real way many of us can make a difference under corrupt power, as that power only exists alongside submission and obedience. As soon as we stand together in opposition to lies and hate, the power dynamic immediately shifts. As a show, Hadestown highlights the importance of togetherness for everyone as ‘If no one takes too much, there will always be enough.’ Highlighting the incredibly liberating message that if we stand together, we can fight injustice for all, not just for the privileged. It does this with heart-wrenching lyrics that ring all too true, such as ‘Tell me why if we’re free I can’t look in my brother’s eye’ among many other lyrics of the same beautiful nature. Unlike many shows that highlight the political minefield we are living in, Hadestown doesn’t bring it just to remind you but instead to try and drive its audience to stand together as individuals against our world's injustices. Which not only hands the power back to the characters but also to the audience. With this disillusionment at its core, it is more relevant than ever and, as a consequence, also more empowering than ever.
This theme of humanity and handing the power of change back to the people is only growing more and more important in the wake of current politics and the climate crisis, which also features heavily in Hadestown. But like Orpheus, if we stand educated and alone, soon people will follow. As he toasts ‘to the world we dream about and the one we live in now,’ highlighting the idea that dreams and reality are allowed to coexist. Which is another element that makes this show so unique, as many musicals make the decision to either be overtly political, often leaving the future barren and hopeless, or choose to act as an escape and ignore all politics. Hadestown innovatively bridges this gap by bringing up politics and acting as an escape by bringing in hope and giving the audience a way to feel as if they can make change. Just like the show, every time hope fails, ‘they sing it even so.’ Allowing the audience to leave rooted in reality but with hope that history may keep repeating itself but there is always the possibility of improvement and that change can only be driven by us.
The parallels in this show that highlight the it’s messages are some of its most important plot devices. The most obvious contrast can be drawn from the differences between the two relationships between Hades and Persephone and that of Orpheus and Eurydice. As the show highlights, the past can't change and ultimately not as dramatically as it needs to, but the outcome of the actions of the younger generations, like Orpheus and Eurydice, are still to be determined and, most importantly, are changeable. As even the hopeless and distrustful Eurydice is able to begin to believe in love, which she never had before. However, another parallel that I think could even be deemed more significant is that of Hades and Orpheus. As both deal with love and fear primarily due to the idea of losing said love. What is most significant is that Hades watches his own worst fear come true when Orpheus (the character who most closely mirrors him) loses Eurydice as a result of Hades own actions. As the two of them are so similar, giving them these strange interactions almost as if they are the same person who has grown in different directions, one who compensates for fear with control and one who turns to hope. Which makes their interactions even more agonising to watch, as they seem to know each other too well and exactly what destroys the other. Again showing weakness to be one of the most human experiences. As Orpheus sings about the loss of Hades love and Hades knows that doubt and questioning the truth will be Orpheus’ downfall as he turns back to Eurydice. These incredible parallels serve to again show the possibilities of change for everyone, as even two starkly different characters are ultimately so similar.
Another important thing that serves as perhaps the most important reminder that Orpheus is human and still has faults and doubts is when he turns around. As one of the most important parts of this show is that the audience believes no matter how many times they see or hear the story, believing that the outcome may change, as that is how well this show deals with tragedy and also brings in real hope. That belief that it might change is what keeps many people becoming returning visitors to the show. I do want to propose some suggestions as to why Orpheus turns around, as ultimately this question can't be answered, but there are many things that could have played a part in it. An important detail to remember is that going by the original written versions is that Orpheus cannot hear Eurydice singing to him, which largely drives him to doubt that she is following, not out of distrust for her but from the integral part of his character that questions, ‘If it’s true?’ Another suggestion that many have made for why he turns around is that he has made it out of the Underworld and forgets that Eurydice is behind him, and out of his sheer excitement and love, he turns to embrace her before she too could make it out. Some argue that it is because of the lack of a promise of a stable future and belief that, like before, Eurydice may have given into survival over love. Overall, it is most important to remember that whatever reason is proposed, he turns around out of love for Eurydice over everything else, including sensibility and logical thinking. As his ultimate fear, much like Hades, is of losing his love.
In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Hadestown, and it gave me plenty of food for thought, and if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend you go see it, and if you haven’t already, listened to the soundtrack; definitely give it a go. Ultimately, this is a story of love and hope and trying to give the audience back a sense of control just by promoting standing together in truth, which is increasingly important, especially in times like this.
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