Review: HADESTOWN at Orpheum Theatre

If someone tells you to go to Hell this week, you should listen to them. Of course, Hell in this case is the setting of the moody, smoldering Broadway musical Hadestown, playing at the Orpheum Theatre through March 20th.

The dual ancient Greek myths of lovers Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone are brought into modern times through a folk-pop and jazz score composed by acclaimed singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell. For those unfamiliar, Orpheum is a broke artist and Eurydice is a hungry young woman looking for a better life. Their love is tested by Eurydice's deal with the "devil", King Hades of the Underworld. Lured by his promise of plenty, Eurydice signs over her life to Hades, and Orpheus goes on a quest to rescue her from the land of the dead. Spoiler alert: it does not end happily. The myth of Hades and Persephone is creatively intertwined with the young lovers' story as Persephone looks to rekindle her love for her husband, while simultaneously straining against his control.

For someone who has listened to the cast recording many times, seeing the show in person brought into clarity that the music is very much linked to New Orleans jazz and Dixieland. The songs fit the characters - ethereal arias for the young lovers, dirty jazz for Persephone, menacing tunes for Hades and pulsing shanties for the Underworld workers. Many of the standout numbers take place in Act One, but the haunting "I Raise a Cup" after curtain call is one that will stick with you.

The set design evokes a speakeasy jazz joint that flips to a steampunk mechanical Underworld. Swing cast members do double duty as joyous earthly barroom patrons and enslaved workers in hell. The stage has a rotating floor that is used to masterful effect to showcase the monotony of the workers lives, something Eurydice didn't realize would become her destiny when she signed her life away to Hades.

Hadestown began in 2010 as a concept album and it took over 13 years to turn the album into a show worthy of Broadway. While the show is a bit too long and lags in spots, the music and strong performances make up for it in spades. A standout on the national tour is Tony Award® Winner Levi Kreis, playing Hermes, considered the herald of the gods. Mr. Kreis' interpretation of the music is all funk and R&B, a completely different take than his Broadway counterpart. Although Hermes is mainly the narrator of Hadestown, with Mr. Kreis playing the role, I wished he had more stage time - I could listen to him sing forever!

Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Hadestown is well worth venturing out into the Minnesota cold.