Hadestown (Musical Theater) - Nomi's Pics

Naomi Weisman is a Canadian, Australian and mother of three, who loves to ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible.

So, last weekend I was given two tickets to see a live production of Hadestown at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto. My son Max was available to accompany me, so it was a win-win for this Mama.

Let me start by saying that I don’t know very much about Greek mythology, so it was fun to be introduced to the story of Hades and Persephone, and Orpheus and Eurydice. For those of you who don’t know about Hades, he is the King of the Underworld who falls in love with Persephone, Goddess of Spring, who is from the world above. They marry and live together in the world below.

Orpheus, the son of Apollo, is gifted with the ability to change the world with music. Eurydice is a lost soul, searching for community. Orpheus falls madly in love with Eurydice the first time he sees her, but theirs is a love that is fraught almost from the start.

The curtain opens to a set that feels like it’s from the Depression era. The musicians are on either side of the stage, dressed in costume to blend in with the rest of the cast. Hermes, the omniscient narrator, has a deep soulful voice and introduces us to the cast of characters and their relationship to one another. He is the conductor of the train to the underworld.

Hades is a dark and imposing figure with the most incredible baritone. His wife Persephone, brings spring to the world above every year, spreading joy while it lasts...

Orpheus is a dreamer and always imagines how things could be, with a voice of an angel. He sees the best in people. He is a little awkward and naive but ultimately determined to love Eurydice and change the world at the same time.

Eurydice has more life experience under her belt, and she is somewhat jaded and cynical. She loves Orpheus and wants to believe that they can make a life together, but she also has a healthy amount of skepticism as well.

When Persephone leaves to go back to the underworld, taking spring and Joy with her, Orpheus promises Eurydice that he will finish the song that will change humanity for the better and come back to her when he’s done.

In the meantime, winter sets in and Eurydice is cold, hungry, and alone. She feels abandoned by Orpheus and desperate for food, shelter, and community. Hades woos her to the underworld with the promise of a better life. In essence, she makes a deal with the devil.

With his song finally finished, Orpheus looks for Eurydice, only to find that she has gone down to the world below. His hopes of bringing happiness and prosperity to the world with his song are dashed by the absence of his love...

With the courage of his convictions to help guide him, Orpheus travels to the underworld to rescue his lady love. He captivates Hades with his song and is able to achieve what no one has before, a kinder more sympathetic Hades.

Hades allows Orpheus to leave with Eurydice but on one condition. She must follow behind him on the journey to the world above, and he must forge ahead and not look back to see if she follows. If he does, Eurydice must go back to Hades...

Hadestown is a modern-day take on an age-old story. Part of the beauty and charm in this retelling is just how relevant this story is in today’s terms. For example, the lyrics from Why We Build the Wall, “We build the wall to keep us free” and “Who do we call the enemy? Poverty”. Sound eerily familiar to what is happening around the world?

I am a sucker for good melodies and great harmonies. I have seen many musicals in my lifetime, and Hadestown is a cut above. The music transports you almost from the get-go. Written by Anaïs Mitchell (The Bonny Light Horseman), the music is original and captivated me immediately. The talent of the actors and musicians on the stage is transformative.

This is a fantastic story; the production is one of the best I’ve ever seen. This gets a big thumbs up from me, and my son Max, who is 23 said it was "fire"!