Greek epic of lost love more hit than myth QUENTIN LETTS reviews Hadestown at the National Theatre
Hadestown by Anais Mitchell, National Theatre
Greek mythology’s agonising tale of Orpheus and Eurydice trying to leave the underworld is one of the great lost-love tales of all time.
If it falls just a little short in Hadestown, a jazz-musical American treatment of the story, that is because the whole enterprise is just a touch too hip for characterisation or humour to flourish.
But this is a show with plenty of spectacle and invention.
In Patrick Page it has the actor with the deepest voice I have heard.
Greek mythology is given a jazz-musical touch by Anais Mitchell in her new play
Given that he plays Hades, king of the dead, it is only appropriate he has a larynx that creaks like a levered tombstone. Imagine a crocodile the morning after a cigar dinner.
Orpheus (Reeve Carney) is a young singer who meets and instantly falls in love with coquettish Eurydice (Eva Noblezada).
Hades spots the girl and lures her to his kingdom while Orpheus is busy completing a song.
The action, often described in rhyming couplets, takes place in what seems to be a bar.
The set and ambience feel borrowed from the musical Once.
Members of a funky seven-piece band sit around the place, several in pork-pie hats.
Amber Gray is Hades' on-off consort Persephone in the musical running at the National Theatre
Despite a certain level of nonsense, Hadestown trots along with handsome swagger
The depths of Hades are conveyed rather well by use of the Olivier stage’s sinking drum.
A few of Anais Mitchell’s songs are standard American soup but some are a lot better.
Hades has two belters – Hey, Little Songbird, which starts like a Leonard Cohen growler, and a political protest song about how a wall round Hadestown will keep out the poor.
Ah, a Trump allusion. Well, that’s subtle. It is sung with gusto by depth-charge Page.
Mr Carney’s Orpheus is a wet little Herbert but he hits his high notes impressively.
Miss Noblezada is delightful until she strives for volume, when her soprano turns nasally.
Amber Gray is easier on the ear as Hades’ on-off consort, Persephone. The show is partly narrated by Hermes, a hammy turn from Andre De Shields.
Despite a certain level of nonsense to it all, I enjoyed the show. It trots along and has a handsome swagger.
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