Hadestown: A Theatrical Review

I recently saw the filmed production of Hadestown in the movie theater. I was not overly familiar with the show, but I was intrigued by what I had heard about the film, most notably the talented cast, and that the cinematography and camera work was unusually well done for a filmed stage musical, so I went in with high hopes. 

I was not disappointed. 

For those unfamiliar with the show, it retells two Greek myths: the stories of Orpheus and Eurydice, and of Hades and Persephone. In Hadestown, the god Hermes narrates the intertwined stories. Orpheus, a gifted musician, is bussing tables in a bar when Eurydice, a homeless runaway, enters and he is immediately smitten. He tells her he is writing a song to bring back the spring, promising her they will no longer be poor and hungry once it is finished. He asks her to marry him, and she accepts. He sings the song so far, which is the story of Hades and Persephone. Persephone arrives on the train from the underworld and they all celebrate the summer, but Hades soon returns to bring her back, much to her chagrin, and winter returns. The Fates tempt a cold and hungry Eurydice with tales of warmth and food in the underworld. After fighting with Persephone, Hades returns to the world of the living looking for someone who will appreciate what he has to offer, and Eurydice willingly goes with him after calling out to a distracted Orpheus. When Orpheus realizes she is gone, he decides to walk into the underworld to bring her back, as Eurydice becomes one of the faceless, beaten-down workers in the mines. 

Orpheus' song allows him to enter the underworld, and he finds Eurydice, but Hades refuses to let her go and orders the workers to attack Orpheus. Undaunted, Orpheus rallies the workers to his side, catching Persephone's attention. She is moved by his love for Eurydice, remembering how she and Hades were once in love, and pleads with Hades to let them go. The Fates warn Hades that if he lets them go, he will look weak, but if he makes them stay, he will look cruel, so he proposes a test: Orpheus may lead Eurydice back the way he came, but she must follow behind him without touching him, and he may not look back at her. If he fails, she will have to stay in the underworld forever. As they leave, Hades and Persephone decide to give their love another chance, but just before Orpheus and Eurydice escape, Orpheus has a moment of doubt and looks back, and Eurydice sinks back into the underworld. Hermes appears and begins the story again, commenting, "It's a sad song, but we sing it anyway. 'Cause here’s the thing: To know how it ends and still begin to sing it again as if it might turn out this time, I learned that from a friend of mine...[Orpheus] could make you see how the world could be in spite of the way that it is." 

I love how well developed the characters are, and how beautifully they are portrayed by the actors. Let's look at the major players:

Hermes: Portrayed by Broadway legend André de Shields, Hermes is charming and charismatic. He wears a stylish shiny suit and brocade vest, with feathers on his jacket cuffs echoing Hermes' iconic winged sandals. De Shields' raspy, jazzy vocals and cooler-than-cool understated dance moves allow him to tell the story without becoming too much a part of it. Although Orpheus is his ward, Hermes is distanced from the story, but as he begins telling it again at the end of the show, it feels like he truly does have hope that maybe this time it will end differently, 

Orpheus: What kind of voice can sing a song so moving that it brings back the spring? Reeve Carney's ethereal countertenor, that's what kind. Often accompanying himself on the guitar, Carney's poignant, intense vocals and slight build emphasize Orpheus' youth and single-minded focus on his song to the exclusion of nearly all else. His Orpheus is naive without being foolish, and his love and devotion to Eurydice is clear (and genuine: he is married to Eva Noblezada, who plays Eurydice; the two met doing this show). His costume defines him as a hard-working laborer: a grubby t-shirt and overalls, with a bandana around his neck. 

Eurydice: Eva Noblezada's slight build gives her a waif-like appearance that suits her character. Like Orpheus, she is young and poor, but she is more beaten-down and world-weary than he is. She presents a tough exterior, but melts at the thought of being taken care of. Her expressive face shows her initial suspicion of Orpheus that turns into love, and her horror at realizing she has made a mistake in signing Hades' contract. Eurydice wears an oversized coat most of the time in the living world, making her look even more delicate and small, so when she begins to move with the workers in the underworld, flexing her now bare, muscular arms, you get the impression that she has been there for a very long time, which is a clever and subtle way to show the amount of time Orpheus' journey has taken. 

Persephone: Amber Gray's Persephone hides her misery behind false bravado and a flask. Always vaguely drunk yet in control, her exuberant song and dance as she returns to the world of the living is a delight, yet it is clear that underneath her heart is broken knowing her stay will be too short and she will soon return to a world of darkness and a husband who no longer loves her. The New Yorker perfectly described her portrayal as "a tornado of resentment and rascally rebellion." She appears on earth in a spring-green gown, shedding her white fur coat like melting snow and brandishing her flower-covered purse, while in the underworld she wears an identical gown in all black and tucks her hair into a subdued snood. Her frustration and anger toward Hades is palpable, and their reconciliation at the end is beautiful and believable. 

Hades: Patrick Page as Hades is a brilliant piece of casting. When he utters his first line in an impossibly deep, truly "basso profundo" voice, the audience loses their minds, and with good reason. His Hades is a study of control and curated image. His thick, snow-white hair is elegantly swept back, and his white beard is trimmed into an impeccable and vaguely-satanic Van Dyke. He wears a black pin-striped suit run through with metallic silver threads, sometimes removing the jacket to reveal a matching vest underneath, sometimes adding a black leather duster and wraparound sunglasses. Page snapped his Achilles tendon during rehearsals for the film, but instead of recasting the role, the team designed a sleek, shiny black orthopedic boot and walking cane topped with a silver dog's head, altering the blocking and choreography to accommodate his injury. I found the addition to be incredibly effective, giving Hades a visible weakness; a crack in his self-created "armor." Although Page's performance was not my favorite of the film (but still incredibly strong), perhaps my favorite moment was near the end, as Orpheus is singing the story of Hades' love for Persephone, when the camera zooms in on Hades' face, and his lips tremble slightly, his expression softens almost imperceptibly, and you see a tear glistening in his eye that does not quite fall. It is the perfect representation of Hades' struggle for control and his determination to maintain the image of a powerful king. It's practically a master class in subtle acting. 

The Fates: Portrayed in this version by (left to right in above photo) Allie Daniel, Bella Brown, and Madeline Charlemagne, the Fates serve as a kind of Greek chorus, commenting on the action and occasionally participating. Their powerful voices blend beautifully in the tight harmonies, although Daniel's deep contralto is sometimes just a hair too prominent. They also have some wonderful moments of a cappella vocals. Daniel also plays the accordion, Brown plays the violin, and Charlemagne plays bells, tambourine, and other percussion on stage. I love their floaty, layered dresses and head wraps, and I especially love that their makeup was glamorous and particularly clear-skinned, reminding us that they, too, are immortals, in contrast to the grubby underworld workers. All three have deliciously smug, haughty bearings as they watch and occasionally manipulate the mortal characters. 

The onstage musicians: The "pit orchestra" for the film (and the stage production) sits on onstage risers, and includes trombonist Daniel Higham, with featured brassy jazz riffs throughout; as well as piano, guitar, violin, cello, double bass, and percussion. Although they don't participate in the action per se, they are dressed like the cast in suit pants, vests, neckties, and porkpies or fedoras, reminiscent of a 1930s jazz club. It adds to the feel of the "living world" set, and although they are still present in the underworld, their presence is minimized by lighting and fog effects. 

The Ensemble: Five ensemble members are enough to fill the small stage, portraying bar customers in the living world and workers in the underworld. I loved the mix of genders, ethnicities, and body types that felt very individual in the living world but morphed into faceless clones in the underworld, where each wears a grimy white chest wrap under leather overalls with knee pads and tool belts, topped with a dark cap, nearly always bent over to matching heights to "keep your head low," as one of their songs reminds them. At the end, as they rebel against Hades and seek to claim their freedom, the simple act of standing and removing their caps as they look each other in the eye and interact brings back their individuality. A really lovely addition to what could have been merely stage fill and backing vocals. 

I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the set. The space feels somewhat smaller than a standard Broadway stage, in part due to having the band on risers on all sides, as well as featuring multiple levels. The bar in the living world has several steps leading to raised platforms with additional patrons, but there is also a balcony level upstage where we see Hades and Persephone. It feels light and open, and the band feels like they are part of the scene. 

When we move to the underworld, the stage is frequently fogged and lit in red, or with small point lights instead of a full stage wash. A central turntable doubles as an elevator which alternately rises to form a platform, drops as a character disappears, or rises so a character can make an appearance. In addition, there is a second, ring-shaped turntable surrounding the elevator which can turn opposite the center. This allows for a greater sense of movement in the small space, and also gives a sense of closeness, almost claustrophobia. 

Another really nice effect in the underworld set is some choreography performed with the hanging lights. The workers enter wearing headlamps and carrying large round lights which later hang from the ceiling, and they swing them rhythmically in patterns in time to the music. I can only imagine the rehearsal required to get the timing so perfectly synchronized with the music and with each other. The moving shadows they created were a marvelous effect, as well.

Finally, I'd like to comment on the cinematography and filming style. The most common ways of filming a live musical on stage are either having a single camera filming the entire stage, with an occasional closeup of an individual or small group of actors, or filming like a "standard" movie, with lots of moving cameras and closeups that make it feel less like a stage musical. I love that this film balanced the two, including a few shots from far back enough that you had the feeling of sitting in the audience, a number of cuts (especially near the beginning of the film) to audience members reacting or applauding, a shot or two watching from the wings as an actor made an entrance; plus a mix of wide shots showing choreography, closeups showing actors' faces, and some wonderful overhead shots of the elevator. It gave the energy of being at a live performance, but also provided film's advantages, including a closer look at the most emotional moments of the show and highlighting the choreography. The lighting and sound design is worth going to the theater for; most films I'm happy to stream at home, but I'm glad I saw this on the big screen with surround sound. Orpheus' clear voice filling the house and hanging in the air, the moving shadows and fog, and the gorgeous costumes are all worth going to the theater for. 

In summary, if you are a fan of musical theater, Greek mythology, jazz music, any of the actors, or simply excellent acting and singing, this is a movie you shouldn't miss. And when you go, "Wait for me, I'm comin'!"