so i just saw hadestown the musical last friday night, since they've been showing it in theaters. i feel the need to preface this by saying i don't really watch musicals (unless its the wiz or disney, if disney counts).
my mom wanted us to be cultured so we did go to see musicals when i was younger, with classics like scooby doo the musical, go dog go the musical, big nate the musical, and go diego go the musical.
but hadestown was my first "adult" musical that i saw (that wasn't a movie movie, if that makes sense) and it genuinely took my breath away.
i don't think i can eloquently put into words all the emotions hadestown made me feel. besides that it genuinely made me forget that the story was a tragedy for like 90% of the play. i know the story of orpheus and eurydice, but still the play made me think that this time things would be different. the haunting silence that ensued in the theater after orpheus turned around (besides the gasp my mom let out) is going to still with me for a WHILE.
if i had to choose a standout performance, i don't think i would be able to. ALL OF THE CAST WERE PHENOMENAL. genuinely the only cast member who may have potentially stood out a little more was persephone, because i don't think i've ever heard a voice like her's. also she was wonderfully dynamic on the screen, and i can only imagine more so on stage. but hades' presence was also staggering, which was wonderfully juxtaposed by his vulnerability when orpheus perfoms the song of love and hades and persephone reconcile.
but then orpheus' VOICE, my goodness man was hitting those notes. and the way orpheus carries the hope the entire way only for it to grow too heavy by doubt. how he wonderfully executes how tightly intertwined hope and doubt are. since, at the end of the day, doubt comes because there is hope.
and eurydice, her actress was the reason for me crying the first time. the way she emotes and the depth of emotion she is able to put into her voice. those closeups were so impactful and i really appreciated them.
and i can't forget hermes, oh hermes. the more i thought about hadestown, the more hermes stuck with me. he knows the story, he knows how it goes, he knows how it ends. and he ALWAYS plays his part. although i'm not sure if hadestown being a loop is a 4th way breaking representation of how stories are always told. hermes seemingly being the only one to know that the story will keep repeating fascinates me. because i think more than anyone else, hermes wants orpheus to make it. maybe not only because of he cares for them, but maybe because its how the cycle will finally end. (i could just be talking out of my ass here, but that's the interpretation i came to 🤷🏾♀️)
all of this was a long way to say that i had the time of my life, while i think an intermission would have been nice (especially for my poor emotions), i genuinely don't have a single criticism. at first i thought they might show the audience too much, but they didn't. honestly at certain points i kinda felt like i was in the audience too.
