Hadestown: The Musical

by Mike McGranaghan

Releasing filmed versions of Broadway musicals is a great idea, albeit one that comes with a catch. It’s absolutely essential to capture the vibe of sitting in a theater so the viewer gets a sense of the visual spectacle that was assembled onstage. Get that right and you end up with something like Hamilton. Make it too cinematic via over-editing or poor camera placement and you lose that sense of energy, a pitfall that befell the otherwise entertaining Merrily We Roll Along. Hadestown: The Musical executes the task perfectly. Watching the movie, I felt a euphoric rush similar to the one I’ve gotten from seeing shows in person.

For those unfamiliar, Hadestown is a Tony-winning musical whose music, lyrics, and book were written by Anaïs Mitchell. It combines the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice. Greek god Hermes (André De Shields) narrates the tale, warning us in advance that it’s “a sad song.” Young couple Orpheus (Reeve Carney) and Eurydice (Yellow Rose’s Eva Noblezada) find their love threatened by Hades (Patrick Page), who lures people to his underground kingdom with false promises of wealth and success, to the displeasure of his wife Persephone (Amber Gray). Rest assured, no prior knowledge of Greek myth is required to enjoy the show, which deals with timely issues of financial inequality and totalitarianism.

The songs – which blend jazz, blues, and folk – are incredible. Right from the opener, “Road to Hell,” we can tell that we’re in for an experience that will get us tapping our toes. De Shields leads that number, delivering a performance with a charisma level that’s off the charts. The veteran actor commands the stage, and our attention, from the very first second. From there, one musical number after another blows the roof off. Carney and Noblezada have magnificent voices, so their numbers – individually and jointly – are emotional highlights.

Rachel Chavkin directed the production being recorded, while Brett Sullivan directed the film. What Sullivan does is very smart. There’s a lot happening onstage. Aside from the cast members, the stage contains a live band, a two-story set, a lift that moves people up and down, and a rotating floor. It’s all very intricately choreographed. The director makes sure not to lose that scope, using close-ups and stylized shots when necessary but usually making sure the cameras are back far enough to provide a view of both background and foreground.

It’s easy to see why Hadestown was (and still is) a sensation. The themes are rich, the performances are outstanding, and the music is out of this world. Obviously, the stage is the optimal place to see this show. If that’s not possible for you, Hadestown: The Musical captures everything special about the musical and gloriously brings it to the screen.