Hadestown Teen Edition

Multi award winning Anaïs Mitchell wrote the book, music and lyrics for Hadestown the musical, with this teen edition recently being released for schools and youth groups for performers of 19 years and under. Based on the ancient Greek myths it tells of the tragic love story between Orpheus and Eurydice where we also meet the King of the Underworld, Hades and his wife Persephone.  Gallery Players are always keen to stage ambitious and exciting new productions and after its success on Broadway and the West End, Director Wade heard of it’s limited release for youth groups and jumped at the chance, even though this would be their first production totally dedicated to youth performers.   It was not easy to cast with the two male leads requiring very specific musical abilities but with all his local connections he found the perfect actors. Indeed, many of this cast are making their debut with Gallery Players but everyone of them bringing a wealth of talent and musical theatre experience to this show.  A brilliant addition to their CV’s. This amazing production was good enough to grace any West End stage and you forget they are all only aged between 16 and 19 years old.

 Milena Burza-Mayne gives an impressive performance as Hermes, the messenger of the Gods, who narrates the story and connecting scenes and characters through her excellent singing and acting. Orpheus, son of a muse, is composing a song to make the flowers bloom again. He is played by Jacob Garner who brings a gentle, vulnerable and caring quality to the role, supported by an incredible falsetto voice. He meets Eurydice and the pair fall in love. India Hill captivates the audience with outstanding singing, bringing softness and tenderness to some songs and great strength to others, with an energy and determination to the role.

Hades is the cruel King of the Underworld (Hadestown) and Samuel Earthroll gives a powerful and threatening performance as he towers over his workers. His wife, Persephone, is the Goddess of Spring. Mathilde Marsh plays this sultry lady with a softer side underlying her apparent wickedness. Both are excellently played, Sam with his rich deep base/baritone voice complementing Mathilde’s superb singing voice. 

The Fates are three sisters all dressed the same who control the destiny of both gods and mortals. Madison Gisborne, Martha Hockley and Holly Kerwick are individually wonderfully played but as a trio they are awesome. Their roles played with such sensuality and complimented by the wonderful harmony in their songs.  Lucy Bailey, Rosie Coffey, Molly Cutting, Dylan Garner, Harrison Green and Felix Partridge are The Workers of the Underworld. They bring physicality and energy to their roles and are totally synchronized in their choreography, confidently delivering  a plethora of powerful songs and with some impressive fight scenes.

This show demands a live band and Olly Wood along with his other six piece band are tremendous. Gallery Studio is an intimate small theatre and the music and singing makes you feel totally immersed in the production. There is plenty of light and shade in the numerous songs and with good sound mixing on the quieter songs. With the small stage area and the band all onstage it must have been a challenge to choreograph but it all worked wonderfully.  The set was mainly made from pallet timber with a small slightly raised area and a bank of floodlights to the rear which all looked very effective.  The costumes included some fabulous twenty’s style sparkly flapper dresses and in complete contrast were the workers overalls to complete the scene.

To sum up this was an excellent production with some amazingly talented young performers in whose capable hands  the future of amateur theatre looks bright. Well done to Wade and all the team who certainly deserved their standing ovation.   

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