The hero in Hadestown goes to hell and back in his quest to rescue the love of his life.
This is a modern retelling of an ancient Greek myth, with the original character names retained.
It is a tale of good versus evil, delivered with sass.
With confidence and attitude, it is the narrator Hermes (Christine Anu) who kicks off proceedings, introducing the central players.
Photos by Lisa Tomasetti
The Fates (Sarah Murr, Jennifer Trijo and Imani Williams) are three sisters that represent destiny.
Five backbreaking workers represent the voices of the citizens (who form the equivalent of a Greek chorus).
Orpheus (Noah Mullins) is Hermes’ ward, a poor boy with a gift.
The moment he sets eyes upon hungry runaway Eurydice (Abigail Adriano), he wants to marry her.
Although sceptical, she is won over by his pure heart and song writing ability.
The weather has been bad and famine has set in, but Orpheus is writing a song to make Spring return.
That tune harks back to the story of Hades (Adrian Tamburini) and Persephone (Eleanoa Rokobaro).
They fell in love, before the former built an exploitative underground factory, involving endless servitude.
After a promising start to the relationship between Orpheus and Eurydice, the cold weather returns and Hades entices Eurydice away and into the underworld.
When Orpheus finds out what has happened, he sets out to rescue her, a dangerous exercise which sees him having to overcome several obstacles.
Their future together is far from assured.
The winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Original Score, Hadestown premiered in London in 2018. It opened on Broadway the following year.
With book, music and lyrics by Anais Mitchell, the cleverness in her work comes from the accessibility she provides to a poetic story.
The plot is relatively straightforward and gets down to the consequences of temptation and doubt.
The musical styles in the show are diverse and include folk, jazz, blues and rock.
I was particularly won over by the rousing crowd pleasers, such as Way Down Hadestown and Wait For Me, performed with swinging lights.
Playing a prominent part throughout is trombone player James Greening, whose showmanship is spectacular.
In fact, I thought the band, led by musical director Laura Tipoki, was terrific.
The cast take to their roles with zest and enthusiasm.
Christine Anu is boisterous and bolshie as Hermes.
Sweet voiced Noah Mullins is a revelation as Orpheus, while Abigail Adriano is beguiling as Eurydice.
Adrian Tamburini’s timbre and tone see him readily fit into the role of the villain of the piece.
I appreciated the feistiness that Elenoa Rokobaro brought to Persephone.
They receive strong, melodious support from the Fates and Greek chorus, with David Neumann’s splendid choreographer another feature of this production.
With the band positioned on either side of the stage, the set design – involving a balcony and hidden “garage” – is attractive and appealing.
The look of the offering is rooted in Louisiana music halls and off shore oil drilling there, with some mighty and evocative costuming choices.
You know when the devil is doing his handiwork because the lighting is supercharged.
It all but becomes a character in its own right, which shrieks “don’t mess with me”. Often a red glow permeates the set.
Due to its mythical nature and creative musical choices, Hadestown is decidedly different to other big ticket musicals.
Directed by Rachel Chavkin, as a fable about the human condition, it resounds with feeling.
Hadestown is playing at Theatre Royal Sydney until 26th April, 2025.
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