Chibueze Ihuoma as Orpheus and Hannah Whitley as Eurydice in Hadestown North-American Tour. Photo by T Charles Erickson.
Hadestown was one of my most anticipated musicals of the season and it definitely blew me away. The cast of the Hadestown national tour gives us hope for spring and also showcases the impact of climate change. It makes you question the world we live in and plants the seed for the world we dream about.
While a Greek myth can often seem larger than life, Hadestown is grounded in contemporary themes of immigration, climate crisis, industrialization which are poignant to today’s audiences The characters of Hades, Persephone, Orpheus and Eurydice struggle with love, doubt, trust, poverty, survival and demonstrate they are human and flawed.
Hermes, portrayed by Nathan Lee Graham, serves as the narrator of the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice and is the life of the party. Graham’s skill of storytelling has you on the edge of your seat and a majority of the time wanting to dance along.
The set design of a New Orleans style café gave a very intimate feel and offered a close look into Orpheus and Eurydice’s adorable first run in.
Written by Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown introduces us to Eurydice, a hungry girl weary to trust anyone and let her guard down. Eurydice has seen the cruel realities of the world which has affected the way she views others and the world. Her instinct is to survive and she is accustomed to relying on herself. Whitley stuns as Eurydice portraying the emotional journey her character experiences as life continues to test her resilience.
Whereas when we first meet Orpheus, portrayed by Chibueze Ihuoma, he is hope and youthful naiveté personified. Apprentice to Hermes, Orpheus is a poet with a gift for song who charms his way into Eurydice’s heart with an angelic melody and pure soul. His purpose: to finish writing a song.
In the Greek legend, Orpheus is described as endowed with superhuman musical skills and the same can be said for Ihuoma. He is an absolute star and his rendition of “Wait for Me” was stunning. He perfectly portrays Orpheus’ youthful exuberance and commands the stage with his voice particularly in “Epic III.”
Chibueze Ihuoma performs Wait for Me during Act 1 in Hadestown national tour. Photo by T Charles Erickson.
In contrast to Eurydice, Orpheus is a dreamer who trusts wholeheartedly. I loved how David Neumman’s choreography gave us a glimpse into their journey from strangers to lovers. “All I’ve Ever Known” is an endearing look into young love and the belief they have in each other.
The tale of Eurydice and Orpheus is interwoven with the classic myth of Persephone and Hades. While Eurydice and Orpheus fall into love, Hades and Persephone are falling out of it.
Brit West, who plays the Lady of the Underworld, portrays the duality of Persephone throughout the musical beautifully. In the Spring, she is full of life while at Hades’ side she is miserable, a shell of the goddess’ former self.
As for Hades, God of the Underworld is a big role to fill but Matthew Patrick Quinn nails it with his impressive tone and downright bone chilling rendition of “Why We Build the Wall.”
The ensemble is also magnificent. They are on stage for the majority of the show and set the scene for Hades’ industrial underworld as his dutiful workers as well as guests at the café.
When spring becomes winter, the mood of the musical shifts. Whitley demonstrates Eurydice’s faith in Orpheus faltering as Orpheus (Ihuoma) desperately searches for the right words to complete his song. She tries to cling to the idea of his song saving them from poverty, but Eurydice falls into Hades’ trap exchanging Orpheus’ promise for the false security of the underworld.
Although Orpheus blames himself for Eurydice’s misfortune, the musical demonstrates how circumstance, poverty and desperation drive her to make an impossible choice
Despite the ending to Eurydice and Orpheus’ love story being well known, I found myself hoping that maybe it would be different this time. The message of Hadestown is a meaningful one and worth retelling again and again: that we continue to find hope in the world and people around us despite all odds.
Hadestown is playing through January 8th at the Kravis Center. Tickets can be found at kraviscenter.org.
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