Music, Lyrics & Book by Anaïs Mitchell
The Tony Awards Winning Musical lives up to the hype in a refined and groundbreaking production, Hadestown is a must-see
Reviewed by Claira Prider
Theatre Royal Sydney, Martin Place
Until April 26th, 2025
Tickets: https://hadestown.com.au/tickets/sydney/
Type: Musical, Greek Mythology, Tony Award Winning
If You Liked: Once, Chicago, Disney’s Princess & the Frog
Set in depression-era New Orleans, Hadestown is a contemporary re-imagining of the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice which takes audiences on a genre fusing, heart wrenching pilgrimage to hell and back. What began as a DIY theatre workshop project in 2006 by young writer (music, lyrics and book) Anaïs Mitchell, soon evolved into a studio album which then bloomed into the fully staged Broadway musical which landed in Sydney this week.
Equally rooted in smoky underground restaurant bar and oil rig, the semi-circular, amphitheatre shaped set remains relatively unchanged throughout, using lighting, sound and choreography to transport us into the depths of hell. Lighting silhouettes wooden chairs and tables pressed up against the walls and a spiral staircase up the central pillar with a square door below that opens into Hades’ realm.
Led by musical director Laura Tipoki on keys, members of the seven-piece band perform on stage as part of the action, expertly delivering the score’s blending of jazz and blues, gospel, railroad songs, folk and honky tonk. The band is like a character in itself, which fuels the intimate nature as they engage with the story unfolding.
Technical problems on opening night stopped the show just two songs in, however the cast did brilliantly to pick up back from where they left off, quickly rebuilding the richly soulful, fiery, atmosphere they’d created.
Performed by Christine Anu, Hermes fulfills a narrator role, introducing us to each of the characters and emceeing throughout. Her singing and characterisation is like a warm embrace – soft, deep and moving, however the Aussie accent that comes through (only in her spoken dialogue) sticks out, at times feeling out of place.
As Orpheus, Noah Mullins exceptionally portrays this heart-on-his-sleeve, naïve, smitten lover. Much of the role has him playing guitar while singing almost completely in falsetto, showing impressive range and control. Orpheus’ songs are sparsely orchestrated and highly exposing – and Mullins fills the huge shoes of this technically challenging role to perfection, both vocally and through his endearingly lovable characterisation.
Opposite, Abigail Adriano is completely captivating and moving as outsider, Eurydice. Her full-bodied commitment to the role makes her utterly engrossing despite the writing of the role not being very fleshed out. Equally matched by her emotionally powerful and musically sensitive vocal chops, she gives a truly exquisite performance. The doomed lovers have beautiful chemistry that aptly captures the overwhelming intensity of young love.
…this is a powerfully moving and pertinent production.
Embodying the Fates, Sarah Murr, Jennifer Trijo and Imani Williams are superb. Sassy and snarky, this trio are refined and nuanced and are so perfectly matched and attuned to each other, it’s almost as if they jump off the pages of The Iliad. Vocally brilliant while also playing an instrument half the time, the trio deliver the gritty, tight harmonies confidently, and while they are completely cohesive tonally, we still get to see three individual personalities shine through that bring great comedy to story.
Elenoa Rokobaro oozes lush and lavish in the role of Persephone. In a striking green dress against the otherwise dreary and colourless setting, her gutsy, soulful characterisation is a welcome contrast from the darker themes of the work. Rokobaro’s annunciation is hard to understand at times, but regardless, delivers a richly detailed and enjoyable performance. As her captor and husband, looking somewhat like a sparkly version of the Matrix in Michael Krass all-black costuming, Adrian Tamburini plays the role of Hades. His deep bass tone is so resonant you can feel the reverberations in your chest. While vocally stunning, his performance leaves room to build on the striking, menacing nature of Hades, and develop the characters’ physical intensity.
With so many technically dazzling productions filling stages around the world, the simplicity of this staging is a refreshing and welcome change. I’m sure it’s not technically simple at all, but visually, the lack of of big set changes, pyrotechnics and magical special effects fuels the human element that’s so strongly woven through this production.
Bradley King’s lighting design is clever and outside the box. A scene where the lighting comes from the workers wearing head torches with industrial looking lamps strapped to their backs which then become part of the moving light structure swinging out above the audience – is utterly engrossing. The small chorus of workers carry much of the stories’ momentum in tightly choreographed scenes. They’re like an extremely well oiled machine with all the moving parts working in perfect unison. A highlight of the staging is during their treacherous journey guiding Orpheus; using a revolving stage and expertly executed choreography by David Neumann. It’s almost exhausting watching them cover so much distance, while barely moving a metre.
Musically, the changing of genres between different numbers is stylistically jarring. From grungy, atonal, and dissonant, to deeply satisfying harmonic resolutions, the scoring lacks fluidity and I think that’s exactly the point. The scoring reinforces the unpredictable, terrifying, joyful, love-filled and ever-changing world we live in. In an interview with Hanover Theatre, Mitchell says: “The main thing we were looking for in our casting was a kind of singular rockstar unicorn quality. The music is really built for people to bring the individual force of their personality to it” and I think the Australian casting exemplifies this.
When writing the song ‘why we build the wall’ in 2006, Mitchell says “I was imagining a climate in crisis, a world in which many places had become uninhabitable and there were large populations of migrants knocking at the gates of the places of relative wealth and security.” Deeply politically relevant, with themes of exploiting workers, climate catastrophe, the building of walls and the importance of trying, Hadestown is poignantly resonant today.
Combining Broadway style entertainment with intimate jazz bar vibes, this is a powerfully moving and pertinent production.
Theatre Thought: As Orpheus says: “And if no one takes too much, there will always be enough” how can we fuel a thriving industry so the next generation gets as they deserve?
CAST
Christine Anu Hermes
Abigail Adriano Eurydice
Noah Mullins Orpheus
Elenoa Rokobaro Persephone
Adrian Tamburini Hades
Sarah Murr Fate
Jennifer Trijo Fate
Imani Williams Fate
Eliza Soriano Worker
Afua Adjei Worker
Sam Richardson Worker
Iosefa Laga’aia Worker
Devon Braithwaite Worker
Molly Bugeja Swing/Dance Captain
Jessie Monk Swing/Assistant Dance Captain
Jack Lyall Swing
Joshua Kobeck Swing
MUSICIANS
Daniel Puckey – Repetiteur, Conductor & Associate Musical Director
Dominic Cabusi – Bass
James Greening – Trombone & Glockenspiel
Kieran Ledwidge – Violin
Glenn Wilson – Drums and Percussion
Clare Kahn – Cello
Seb Bartels – Guitar
CREATIVES
Anaïs Mitchell – Music, Lyrics & Book
Rachel Chavkin – Developed With & Directed By
David Neumann – Choreographer
Rachel Hauk – Scenic Designer
Michael Krass – Costume Designer
Bradley King – Lighting Designer
Nevin Steinberg, Jessica Paz – Sound Designers
Liam Robinson – Music Supervisor & Vocal Arranger
Michael Chorney, Todd Sickafoose – Orchestrations / Arrangements
Ken Cerniglia – Dramaturg
Tiffani Swalley – Associate Director
Alex Lugo – Associate Choreographer
Laura Tipoki – Musical Director
Trudy Dalgleish – Associate Lighting Designer
Shelly Lee – Associate Sound Designer
RCI Theatricals – Global Management Consultant
Mara Isaacs – Original Producer
Dale Franzen – Original Producer
Hunter Arnold – Original Producer
Tom Kirdahy – Original Producer
