Hadestown
Hadestown is a sung-through musical with music, lyrics, and book by Anaïs Mitchell. It tells a version of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice, a young girl looking for something to eat, goes to work in a hellish industrial version of the Greek underworld to escape poverty and the cold, and her poor singer-songwriter lover Orpheus comes to rescue her.
Hadestown
Anaïs Mitchell
Anaïs Mitchell
2006 Barre
2006 Vergennes
2007 Vermont/Massachusetts tour
2016 Off-Broadway
2017 Canada
2018 London
2019 Broadway
2021 US National Tour
2024 West End
The original version of the musical premiered in the town of Barre, Vermont, in 2006, followed by a production in Vergennes, Vermont the same year and a tour between Vermont and Massachusetts in 2007. After the tour, Mitchell—unsure about the future of the musical—turned it into a concept album, released in 2010.[1]
In 2012, Mitchell met director Rachel Chavkin, and the two started to rework the stage production, with additional songs and dialogue. The new version of the musical, developed for the stage and directed by Chavkin, premiered Off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop on May 6, 2016, and ran through July 31. Following productions in Edmonton and London, the show premiered in previews on Broadway in March 2019.
The Broadway production opened to critical acclaim and received numerous awards and nominations. At the 73rd Tony Awards, Hadestown received 14 nominations (the most for the evening) and won eight of them, including Best Musical and Best Original Score.
Synopsis[edit]
Act I[edit]
The story begins with the Greek god Hermes introducing the characters ("Road to Hell"). This is followed by Eurydice and the Fates describing the harsh weather and famine of the setting ("Any Way the Wind Blows"). Orpheus, Hermes' ward, introduces himself to Eurydice and asks her to marry him ("Come Home With Me"). Eurydice is doubtful as they both live in poverty. Orpheus tells her that he is writing a song to make spring come again, and they will no longer have to struggle ("Wedding Song").
Orpheus sings the story of Hades and Persephone ("Epic I"). Persephone arrives in the world above and celebrates summertime ("Livin' it Up on Top"), while Eurydice begins to truly fall in love with Orpheus ("All I've Ever Known"). Hades comes early to collect Persephone, and she voices her misery of having to return to Hadestown, Hades' underground factory. Despite hearing about the never-ending labor endured by the factory workers, Eurydice is intrigued by the rich praises sung by the Fates as well as the promise of protection that Hadestown offers ("Way Down Hadestown"). The cold weather returns and Eurydice searches for food and firewood, urging Orpheus to finish his song ("A Gathering Storm"). Orpheus continues working on his song ("Epic II"), while Persephone and Hades argue ("Chant").
Hades leaves Hadestown to find someone who will appreciate its safety and security. He comes across a desperate Eurydice and invites her to come to Hadestown ("Hey, Little Songbird"). The Fates appear and urge Eurydice to join him ("When the Chips Are Down"). With the cold surging and an empty stomach, Eurydice sees no other choice except to follow Hades. She sings her goodbyes to Orpheus before heading to Hadestown as The Fates chastise the audience for judging her for choosing self-interest over love ("Gone, I'm Gone"). Orpheus discovers Eurydice's disappearance, and decides to rescue her from Hadestown. He sets off on his journey using Hermes' instructions on how to get to Hadestown without the use of the train ("Wait for Me"). Eurydice arrives in Hadestown and signs the contract, officially becoming a worker ("Why We Build the Wall").
Act II[edit]
In an entr'acte, Persephone serves the workers in a speakeasy that she runs behind Hades's back ("Our Lady of the Underground"). Eurydice begins to realize the consequences of her choice to go to Hadestown: she will soon become a forgotten laborer and can never leave unless Hades consents to let her go ("Way Down Hadestown (Reprise)"). She sings of her regrets as her memories of the world above slowly begin to fade ("Flowers").
Orpheus arrives in Hadestown and promises Eurydice that he will take her home with him ("Come Home with Me (Reprise)"). Hades appears and reveals to him that Eurydice willingly signed the contract, which Eurydice regretfully confirms ("Papers"). Hades orders the workers to attack Orpheus and the Fates tell him to give up hope ("Nothing Changes"). Orpheus vows to find a way to free Eurydice, rallying up the workers and catching Persephone's attention in the process ("If It's True").
Persephone is inspired by Orpheus's determination and pleads with Hades to let Eurydice go ("How Long?"). While the workers begin to truly question the freedom they were promised, Hades bitterly offers Orpheus a chance to sing his completed song, threatening to kill him afterwards ("Chant (Reprise)"). Orpheus sings his song, reminding Hades of his love for Persephone ("Epic III"). Hades and Persephone reconcile with a dance, after which Orpheus and Eurydice promise to stay together no matter how hard ("Promises"). Orpheus asks Hades if they may leave, and Hades tells him that he has not reached a decision. The Fates taunt Hades for his dilemma: If he kills Orpheus and keeps Eurydice captive, they become martyrs, but if he lets them go, he loses control over his workers as they have begun to agitate for their freedom ("Word to the Wise"). Hades decides to let Orpheus and Eurydice go on one condition: Orpheus must lead them out. If he turns around to confirm that Eurydice is following him, she will return to Hadestown and remain there forever ("His Kiss, the Riot").
Hermes explains the condition to Orpheus and Eurydice, and they begin heading out with the workers looking to them for hope. Persephone and Hades decide to give their relationship another chance ("Wait for Me (Reprise)"). Orpheus makes it up to the end, where he is overcome by doubt and turns around, condemning Eurydice to return to Hadestown ("Doubt Comes In"). Hermes reflects on the somber tale and why it must be told, saying "That spring had come again, with a love song". The story and set resets to the beginning as Hermes prepares to tell it again. ("Road to Hell (Reprise)"). After the bows at curtain call, the cast raise a cup to honor Orpheus ("We Raise Our Cups").
Themes[edit]
Writer Anaïs Mitchell said she was inspired by Les Misérables to write a musical that was about the power of both romance and politics: "It's a love story, but politics really is romantic."[44]
Director Rachel Chavkin said addressing climate change had always been central to the show: "As we thought more and more about shaping the world that Eurydice and Orpheus are living in — a world caused, in Greek mythological terms, by the decay of the ancient marriage between Hades and Persephone, a world that is out of balance, where it is either freezing or blazing hot, where food becomes scarcer and the idea of stability becomes harder to imagine, and a character, Eurydice, who has spent her life running — all of those things kind of crystallized while we were making the show."[45] The show did a joint promotion with Natural Resources Defense Council to raise awareness and bring a greater sense of urgency to the push for action on the issue of climate change.[46]
US cultural commentator Bridget Read highlights the economic themes: "Orpheus and Eurydice's tragedy becomes, in the hands of Mitchell, an argument for collective bargaining...I don't think its untoward of me to hear the class politics in a musical in which the characters sing the word poverty more times than I've ever heard it before in the vicinity of Times Square."[47] In China, The Paper has published a review of Hadestown, "The Realm Underneath: Hadestown and Utopia" (《冥界》：地狱镇与乌托邦) by historian Hansong Li (李汉松), who frames the musical as a work of not only musical ingenuity but also social critique.[48]
Todd Osborne comments on the self-conscious significance of the medium of song within the work: "It is a musical both about how art can save us and how, especially in an apocalyptic world, hope might be the only thing we have left."[49]
Reception[edit]
The New York Times described the Off-Broadway production as "inventive" and "gorgeously sung", praising its simplicity and intimacy.[50] The Hollywood Reporter described the added dialogue as "wince-inducing" but favored its high energy and immersive staging.[51] Several reviews drew parallels between the song "Why We Build the Wall" and Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, though the song predates the campaign by about a decade.[50][51]
The production opened on Broadway on April 17, 2019, to critical acclaim, with praise for its direction and the performance of André De Shields.[52] The New York Times called it "gorgeous" and "hypnotic", especially noting its improvement from the New York Theatre Workshop version.[53] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter calls it "utterly fabulous", in particular praising the performances of Gray and Page.[54]
Japanese producer Imura Madoka (井村まどか) and theatre journalist Yusei Kageyama (影山雄成) praised the musical for its novelty and creativity, in contrast to a recent trend in Broadway to "avoid risks" by adapting films and recasting classics.[55]