Review: Hadestown
I must admit, while being familiar with the story of Orpheus and the Underworld, I wasn’t previously familiar with the musical interpretation, Hadestown.
Hadestown is a musical by Anaïs Mitchell. Hadestown weaves together two Greek myths: the romance of Orpheus and Eurydice and the troubled marriage of Hades and Persephone. Set in an era of depression and a post-apocalyptic world, the musical follows the impoverished lovers as Eurydice chooses the industrialised, authoritarian Underworld in order to survive, and Orpheus journeys below to bring her back.
Although the story is based on the Greek myths, Hadestown the musical takes the 1920-1930s period as its time frame, with much influence musically from the New Orleans jazz scene.
This is an ambitious musical for any company, and the fact that it was performed by a teen cast makes the achievement even more impressive. Gallery Players’ production at The Gallery Theatre in Ipswich was exceptional.
From the off the production immediately drew the audience into its atmospheric world, and Milena Burza-Mayne as Hermes (who acts as narrator) got things off to a great start with the song Road to Hell accompanied by the cast, it was at this point we knew we were in for a brilliant night of top notch performances. Gradually, we meet the various characters. Eurydice, played by India Hill, is perfectly cast, and the voice this young lady has, she’s definitely someone to watch out for!
Vocally, the entire cast delivered remarkably confident performances, and in fact, there are potentially quite a few more stars of the future in the cast. The harmonies were particularly striking, and the principal performers brought real emotion and depth to their parts. Orpheus (Jacob Garner) and Eurydice’s relationship felt authentic and moving, while Hades (Samuel Earthroll) and Persephone (Mathilde Marsh, another stunning performer) added both power and charisma to the production.
Gallery Players have opted for live music rather than a prerecorded soundtrack, and the musicianship was another major highlight, capturing the unique folk, jazz, and blues influences that make Hadestown so distinctive. Well done, musical director Olly Wood, for pulling that together. The overall feel of Hadestown is that of a tough and gritty industrial underworld, very similar to that of the depression years of the 1920s.
Gallery Players have assembled a tremendous cast and should be incredibly proud of this production. Hadestown Teen Edition was bold, polished, emotionally engaging, and a wonderful showcase for the outstanding young talent in the Ipswich area. Thank you, Gallery Players, for making my introduction to Hadestown a memorable one, and your performance made it easy to realise why this musical has won so many awards. You did it proud.
• Hadestown plays at the Gallery Studio Theatre in Ipswich until 1st August, 2026. Tickets and further information, https://gallerystudiotheatre.co.uk/show/hadestown
Review: Mark Keable, Ipswich24 Magazine
Picture: Peter Ling