Last night (September 24), the UK production of Hadestown celebrated the arrival of its five new cast members with a glittering gala night. Nathan Sykes, Fayth Ifil, Malinda Parris, Danielle de Niese and Shaun Dooley have joined the existing cast, bringing a new edge and plenty of emotion to the coveted musical.
With music by Anaïs Mitchell, Hadestown takes you on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back. It intertwines two greek love stories, Orpheus and Eurydice, and Hades and Persephone, and invites you to imagine how the world could be. Full of love, loss, hope, and survival, it’s a deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful musical that has been seen by over six million people worldwide.
Whether you’ve not seen it yet, or are looking for an excuse to go and see the new cast, here are five reasons why Hadestown needs to be your next musical viewing.
You can meet the King and the Queen of the Underground
The complicated power couple of Hades and Persephone are brought to life by Shaun Dooley and Danielle de Niese, with the pair exquisitely breaking down the complexities of their characters. Shaun is incredibly sinister as ruler of the underworld Hades, operating out of fear and control, draining his workers of their souls. His dark character is balanced out by Danielle’s Persephone, a free-spirit goddess who embodies a party girl persona to survive the bleakness of Hadestown. Danielle is a delightful Persephone, and gives a nuanced portryal of a woman who, despite it all, still believes in love.
You’ll discover your new favourite Orphydice
Many Hadestown fans will already have their favourite Orphydice duo, but we think Nathan Sykes and Fayth Ifil are coming for that title. They embody their characters with such passion and precision and it’s a joy to see their take on Orpheus and Eurydice.
Nathan is an outstanding Orpheus, completely smashing his professional theatrical and West End debut. He nails the boyish and hopeful wonder of the character, who yearns for his song to fix a broken world. Fayth is a powerhouse Eurydice, who in contrast is a self-reliant survivor who ultimately trades her freedom for supposed security. Fayth makes sure that you feel every inch of Eurydice’s emotions throughout.
If you’re looking for lovers with soul then you’re in the right place. Nathan and Fayth’s voices complement each other perfectly, with the pair delivering spellbinding and compelling vocals throughout. They also have standout solo moments including Nathan’s ‘Epic III’ and Fayth’s ‘Flowers’. Whether separately or together, their golden vocals are to die for.
The Angelique/Nurse to Hermes pipeline continues
Malinda Parris is booked and busy. Having recently finished playing Calliope, one of the fates in Hercules the Musical, and set to play Lettie Lutz in the London premiere of The Greatest Showman the Musical next Spring, she’s currently starring as Hermes in the new Hadestown cast. Taking the &Juliet Nurse to Hermes pipeline (following in the footsteps of OG West End Hermes Melanie La Barrie), Malinda is truly a force to be reckoned with.
There’s something about a female Hermes that is so captivating and empowering, and Malinda embraces every element of her character. Her vocals are also sensational – so good that we’d probably enjoy her singing from the dictionary to be honest, but thankfully audiences get to hear those pipes being put to work on Hadestown’s glorious jazz and folk-inspired soundtrack instead. We must also shout out the wigs and costume team as Malinda’s Hermes look is simply stunning.
It’s your Fate, duh
The new cast members are accompanied by the existing cast including Melanie Bright, Spike Maxwell and Lauran Rae as the Fates. This Greek chorus is an integral part of the production and the trio act as the symbolic inner voices of doubt and survival throughout. Melanie, Spike, and Lauran bring the other characters’ subconscious insecurities to life so effortlessly, with a gorgeous blend of vocals especially during ‘When The Chips Are Down’.
They are joined by Femi Akinfolarin, Michelle Andrews, Gabriela Benedetti, Ollie Bingham and Sebastian Lim-Seet as the Workers, with Juan Jackson, Oisín Nolan-Power, Lindo Shinda, Jasmine Triadi and Milly Willows as Swings. The combination of Workers that we saw during the gala performance were superb and added so much depth to the overall emotion of the show.
The Road to Hell is a sight to be seen
Visually, Hadestown is incredibly striking. Featuring a revolving stage and an underground industrial aesthetic, you are effortlessly taken from the Overworld to Way Down Hadestown. This is enhanced by captivating choreography and lighting, with ‘Wait For Me’ being a masterclass in breathtaking staging. Accompanied by a striking folk and New Orleans jazz-inspired score (played by a phenomenal live band on stage), this show hits you right in the feels. This is more than just a musical, it’s an immersive theatrical experience which draws you into underworld.
New Hadestown trailer
Hadestown is currently booking through to December 2027.
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Disclaimer: Gifted ticket / press