We’re led to hell by spirited cast of ‘Hadestown’
After its 2019 Broadway premiere, “Hadestown” toured Salt Lake City in 2022. The second staging is roaring back at the Eccles. The audience enthusiastically responds: “It’s been too long!”
The New York Times called the Anaïs Mitchell-penned musical “sumptuous…as good as it gets,” along with the Los Angeles Times description as “one of the most exquisite works of musical storytelling.” (The eight Tony awards, the most wins of the year, include the most important, Best Musical and Best Score, along with a worthy nomination as Best Book.)
Connecting two stories, “Hadestown” retells the Greek myth of young dreamers, Orpheus and Eurydice, and the King of Hades and his wife, Persephone. Newfound love and love rekindled.
Quizzically, the few naysayers see the staging as emotionally distant. Yet this tour cast is wholly committed to their roles, whether hero or villain — and deeply impressive, both in performance and ease of striking vocals.
Jose Contreras is stunning as Orpheus, capturing boyish charm. Learning the guitar for the role, his musicality encaptures Orpheus as the father of music. A soft, ethereal falsetto is most evident in “Wait for Me,” one of the musical standouts. Contreras is paired with the passionate Hawa Kamara as Eurydice. They is strong willed and feisty. Powerful vocals create brilliant harmonies, shining brightly in “Flowers.”
As Hades, the mafioso king of hell, the towering Nickolaus Colón lives splendidly in a deep bass to add depth to the character, highlighted in “Why We Build the Wall.”
Namisa Mdlalose Bizana’s Persephone is notable for her transition from boozy and fun-loving to grappling with the decay of her marriage to Hades. With vocal fireworks, “Our Lady of the Underground” is a rousing show-stopper.
The tour scales down the original set, surely to the chagrin of Rachel Hauck who won a Tony for her design. Sadly lacking is the original Broadway turntable and lift.
From the Original Broadway production, seven onstage musicians are reduced, eliminating a dedicated cello—unlike many musicals where the pit is drastically reduced. It is close to those familiar with the score, and the band dazzles under the direction of Arman Wali Mohammad, who also plays piano. In addition, there’s one less ensemble member, down to the seven enslaved workers.
“Hadestown” is not explicitly an LGBTQ story but is considered queer-adjacent, with the queer-inclusive gender-blind casting that includes nonbinary performers, and presents queer themes of community care and vulnerability.
For this reviewer, “Hadestown” is a masterful work of art. It expresses hope in the face of tragedy. At the conclusion, cast members toast “the world we dream about, and the one we live in now.” The tour is a worthy companion to the premiere and current Broadway production.
It’s a hell of a show.
Score: 💋💋💋💋💋, five out of five kisses.
