Hadestown

Lyric Theatre

Going way down to 'Hadestown' has been the staple musical experience on the West End since it opened in 2024. Does this cast maintain the show's charm?

It goes without saying that 'Hadestown' has a huge fanbase, and the music, with its folk and jazz style, has a whimsical charm. The main roles are the dreams of so many future musical theatre performers, and that will never change. It has captured so many hearts; audiences have returned to the show multiple times. I even spoke to someone who had seen it 22 times! This review is coming from someone who saw the show when it first opened in 2024 and now with the new cast in 2026. Also... from someone who grew up in LOVE with 'The Wanted', as this show stars Nathan Sykes from the boy band. So... Let's get into it.

Since I first saw this show, I have gone away and added the songs to my playlist. The songs are the show's strongest, most emotive element and somehow create the whole story. Anaïs Mitchell, who wrote the book, music and lyrics, has written this musical so well that you don't need the design elements to create the environment of the story; somehow, the writing does that for you. The music is the grab for me personally; the story does not keep me drawn the whole time, and I don't always follow the story very well, for someone who didn't know of the Greek myths before watching the show. So, let's talk about the plot: the brightest person in the show, 'Hermes', narrates and essentially leads the story. They introduce you to the characters and explain what goes on. Orpheus, the romantic poet, meets 'Eurydice' and falls instantly in love with her. But he has a job to do; he needs to write his song, and nothing will get in the way of that. 'Persephone', the queen of the underworld and goddess of spring, comes up above ground from the Underworld for half the year, and the other half she lives with her lover, 'Hades', down in the underworld. 'Hades' is the God of the Underworld, and he convinces Eurydice to work for him down in the Underworld, and she doesn't know quite what she is signing away to him, and Orpheus has pushed her away to concentrate on his song. He is too late to stop this from happening, and has to find his way to her to bring her back. The story is filled with love stories, tragedy, and real lessons. However, does this cast give their characters justice?

Before we get into this, I would like to put out there that whilst I personally enjoy a handful of the songs, the story I am on the fence about, and feel I am not someone who has been touched by this musical. Though I am aware this show is well loved by many. We all have different tastes indeed.

This cast have bought a new spin on some of the characters and made some unique choices. They have put their own personal stamp on each character. With the style of the music, it fits and gives performers their own space in moments to show off their voices. However, some of the changes aren't always maintained for the whole show and don't make sense at times. There is a strong Cockney accent that seems to be clear at the start of the show for some characters, but it fades very quickly, and it isn't clear why this choice is made, because it doesn't sound natural. This isn't something that I remember from the first time seeing it.

We can all agree that the 'Fates' have a very big job in this show, and their vocals create the atmosphere. In this cast, they are played by Melanie Bright, Spike Maxwell, and Lauren Rae, and they are OUTSTANDING. You look forward to when they get involved with the songs; they clearly deliver the story, they paint the atmosphere beautifully, and their voices create sounds out of this world. They are a standout! There is a lack of chemistry between the two couples, and Eurydice and Orpheus seem to be missing their burning hot chemistry; their attraction doesn't seem to grow; it just seems to appear. Fayth Ifil is brilliant as 'Eurydice'; her vocals blew the audience away, and her acting was stunning. We just needed to see her more drawn to Orpheus; it seems like she mocks him and is not into him at all, and then out of nowhere they are together. It just feels like he just follows her, not that he longs for her, and there is a childlike feel to the relationship. The dynamic is confusing, but their voices work well together. This is Nathan Sykes' theatre debut and quite a huge role to take on as a debut! Whilst his vocals are perfect for the role and have an abundance of power, the acting feels unnatural and forced, but when he sings and feels the music, his Orpheus blows the audience away. You just want to see him not think too hard about the story, and to deliver the spoken parts how he delivers the lines in the songs. These moments could be ironed out the longer they are in the run, and it will be interesting to see how it develops. Could it just be because we are so used to those who have played the roles before, and this is new?

Shaun Dooley plays Hades, and he creates a very dark character well. His deep voice also doesn't seem to stay consistent throughout the show, though his natural voice works well! His characterisation works well. His attraction to Persephone works well; it is really lovely to see their moments when they are closer. There are even some comic moments which catch you off guard. However, there are some comic moments that don't feel like they should be comic moments. Danielle De Niese plays 'Persephone', and she plays a super bright, joyful and vibrant character. Her voice has character, and she does a great job of attracting the audience's attention. She feels different from previous performers who have played Persephone.

Whilst I still don't seem to have caught the 'Hadestown' bug, the music is a staple on my musical playlists, and there were some moments that did take me aback. I believe that as time goes on, the cast will become more natural in the roles, and it will be stronger. Since the performance, I've thought about the show a lot, and the songs have stuck in my head. I long to be one of those people who are captivated by the show; it has made me want to look more into the background of the show and educate myself, so when I see it again, I can notice other choices made! It will be interesting to see how the new cast progresses, and whilst I am on the fence, I know that others have been blown away by the new cast! Theatre is a subjective thing; that is the beauty of it, and I strongly believe that every theatre lover needs to see 'Hadestown' at least once!