Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Arifa Akbar

Hadestown review – thrilling songs from an American underworld

Well-honed musical machine … Hadestown, starring Dónal Finn (centre), at the Lyric theatre, London.
Well-honed musical machine … Hadestown, starring Dónal Finn (centre), at the Lyric theatre, London. Photograph: Marc Brenner

This odyssey through the underworld, told with deep-voiced folk and jazz songs, was staged in Britain in 2018 and since then has had a storming run on Broadway. But the show began as a DIY community project in Vermont almost 20 years ago. Extraordinarily, it is not just a well-honed musical machine but retains a tremendous soul and offbeat spirit.

Accomplished Fates … (from left) Allie Daniel, Madeline Charlemagne and Bella Brown in Hadestown.
Accomplished Fates … (from top) Allie Daniel, Madeline Charlemagne and Bella Brown in Hadestown. Photograph: Marc Brenner
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.