One of the best youth productions I’ve seen in an extremely long time.
Hadestowns: Teen Edition follows the myth of Eurydice and Orpheus: a love story for the ages. In contrast, Hades and Persephone show a broken relationship needing to mended. As the harsh conditions continue to grow, will love be able to consume or conquer in this beautiful sung through musical. Beyond the Bars is a brilliant theatre company which has made many productions I have adored: including Fun Home, Amélie and Unfolding. This new production is one of the first times I have seen the teen edition of Hadestown and it certainly didn’t disappoint!
The staging is incredible, with the moving parts and the portal to the underworld. Being able to have the musicians on stage adds an extra element of magic to the production: allowing us to feel the music more. The entire ensemble were amazing with their choreography which was incredibly professional and worked really well. Similarly, the fates had some beautiful harmonies: working effortlessly well together.
Naomi Mallabone as Persephone was brilliant throughout the entire show. She personified the character perfectly, giving us some great vocals and dancing. In addition, Laurie Jones as Hades was fantastic, giving a creepy feel throughout. His relationship with Mallabone was believable and his lower vocal tone was incredible for a younger act. Moreover, Jennie Youngs as Hermes was a joyful and fun narrative throughout the piece. Her relationship, emotional range and vocals were well received and her costume was great!
Elin Gregory played Eurydice, the young women who goes to the underworld. Gregory really had the vocal power to deliver a brilliant performance, not to mention amazing acting. The stand out performance for me was Charlie Dawe as Orpheus. Orpheus is a very difficult character to sing vocally, but Dawe was able to navigate this flawlessly. His chemistry and dynamics with the entire cast was amazing and he really sold the show on his emotions.
If you get the opportunity to watch another version of this production or another Beyond the Bars show, I’d highly recommend!
Max
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