Review: ‘Hadestown’ sizzles in soulful show with a stand-out cast on the ‘Road to Hell’
“Hadestown” is one sizzling sensation.
Myths endure for a reason; so do great shows. And the 2019 Tony-winning musical “Hadestown,” running through Sunday at Belk Theater, encompasses both, in the strongest cast across the board I’ve seen in some time.
The show’s based on millennia-old myths set partly in modernish times: the intertwined stories of Hades, king of the underworld, and his wandering wife Persephone, and the young lovers Eurydice and Orpheus.
Above ground, the story’s set in a New Orleans-esque jazz club. Down below is the titular town, a factory setting where the boss is intent on building a wall for his own malevolent purposes. Worlds and characters collide when Persephone comes above and Eurydice goes below, prompting Orpheus to mount a seemingly futile rescue of his love.
You can’t take your eyes off Lana Gordon’s Persephone, leaving King Hades (the devilishly good Matthew Patrick Quinn) every half year to bring the spring to the surface dwellers and “Livin’ It Up On Top.” That’s one of her stand-out numbers, as is “Our Lady of the Underground.”
Hannah Whitley owns the role of poor, playful Eurydice, who makes a deal with the devil to escape her troubled life. (On Broadway, Charlotte’s own Eva Noblezada nabbed her second Tony nomination for that role.)
Our guide to all the otherworldly activity is cooler-than-cool Hermes, embodied and emboldened by Nathan Lee Graham, your Leading Player/Kit Kat Club emcee in a sharkskin suit, wielding a train whistle and a winning style.
A trio of Fates whirl in and out of the scenes, baring instruments and attitude, alongside an ensemble that remained sharp and engaged throughout.
As for Chibueze Ihuoma’s soulful Orpheus, you understand why Persephone falls for him instantly. (See Tony & Maria, Romeo & Juliet, et al.)
Ihouma has a magnificent voice, easily switching registers when the number requires it, and is instantly believable as he seeks to finish his “Epic” song. “Wait for Me” is another epic number by him. Keep an eye on this recent NYU grad. Ihouma’s a star in the making and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
Raise a cup to ‘Hadestown’
Everyone in the cast is in fine voice. Bonus points that I was able to hear them all clearly throughout the mostly sung-through show rather than it being an over-amplified muddle.
One other tech note. The show cleverly deploys all sorts of lights, from spot to strobe to heat, and must’ve blown the North American touring company’s budget for all the smoke effects around the neon necropolis.
The orchestra is positioned mostly on stage (give the trombonist some love) and is top-rate. And singer-song writer Anaïs Mitchell is the force behind the music/lyrics/book.
Bottom line: Just because Persephone wants to get the hell out of Hadestown doesn’t mean you should. It’s an old song/an old tale from way back when — and should not be missed. I raise a cup to the cast and crew.
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This story was originally published November 10, 2022 at 11:50 AM.
