Hadestown
next weekend in London
Greek myth meets folk, jazz and blues as Orpheus and Eurydice journey through a smoky underworld ruled by Hades.
⭐4.7
Werner Felberer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eileen ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Helen Hewitt ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Louise Raagaard ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eileen B Davies ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Daniel Fält ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Paul ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rosalind Burns ⭐⭐
iona macdonald ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Felicity de Bruine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hui Fen Thian ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Matilde Conejero caldera ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sian ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eleftheria Patso ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Juliette R ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nadine Buys ⭐⭐⭐
Klaudia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pam Wolfe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rob ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Things to Know Before You Go
Updated: Tue 14 Jul, 06:00 London time
Is there a Saturday matinee for Hadestown next weekend?
Yes — Sat 25 Jul 14:30 (tickets available).
What time does the Hadestown Sunday show start next weekend?
Sun 26 Jul 14:30
What's the cheapest Hadestown performance next weekend?
From £31 (Fri & Sat & Sun).
Folk, jazz, blues, New Orleans brass — which actually dominates the score?
New Orleans, more than the album lets on. Anaïs Mitchell's writing has a folk core but Rachel Chavkin's staging — and the Lyric Theatre's pit band — pushes hard into trombone, sousaphone and stride piano. The Persephone numbers in Act One sit firmly in a New Orleans funeral-march register; the Eurydice songs hold the folk line. If you've only heard the cast album, the show feels brassier and more live in the room.
Knowing the myth — or specifically not knowing it — does it change the experience?
Hermes tells you in the opening number: this is a sad song, and it's an old one, and they sing it anyway. The show is structured around inevitability, and audiences who know the myth get a different relationship with the second act's slow walk back than those who don't. Both work. If you've not read it, leave it — the show prefers you to take Hermes at his word.
Best seats for a turntable staging where the cast performs in 360?
Centre stalls from row K back, or front dress circle. The Lyric's turntable choreography is read most cleanly with a slight elevation — front stalls live inside the band sound but lose the spinning geometry. The upper circle behaves well at the Lyric; back rows there are honestly fine value if you're more interested in the music than the staging tricks.
What is Hadestown about?
Hadestown reimagines the ancient Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice, and Hades and Persephone, as a story about love, work and power in a harsh, industrial world. Against a backdrop of scarcity and fear, it asks what we are willing to risk for hope, art and connection.
Is Hadestown suitable for children?
Hadestown is generally recommended for older children and teenagers. It contains mature themes and some darker moments, as you would expect from a story set in the underworld, but it is not graphic. Parents of younger audience members may wish to read a little about the myth beforehand to judge suitability.
What style of music can I expect in Hadestown?
The score blends folk, jazz and blues influences, with a band on stage that feels part gig, part narrative engine. The music ranges from intimate ballads to full-throttle ensemble numbers, with the band and cast often sharing the space in a way that feels immersive and immediate.
Do I need to know Greek mythology to enjoy Hadestown?
No prior knowledge is required. The show tells the story clearly, and the relationships between the characters are easy to follow even if you have never encountered the myths before. If you do know the original tales, you may enjoy the clever ways the musical plays with and reframes them.
How long does Hadestown run in the theatre?
The running time is around two hours and thirty minutes, including an interval. The pacing is carefully judged, with a balance of storytelling, music and movement that keeps the evening flowing without feeling rushed.
Is Hadestown very loud or intense?
Some musical numbers are powerful and full-bodied, and there are moments of strong lighting and sound when the underworld is evoked. However, quieter songs and more intimate scenes provide contrast, and most theatregoers find the overall sound design thrilling rather than overwhelming.
About this show
A fiercely modern retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, Hadestown plunges you into a smoky, industrial underworld where love, labour and power collide. At the Lyric Theatre, Anaïs Mitchell's folk-inspired score and Rachel Chavkin's inventive staging transform the story of Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades and Persephone into a pulsing, contemporary fable about hope in hard times. Award-winning folk, jazz and blues score is performed live on stage by a band that feels part bar-room ensemble, part Greek chorus, guiding you through a world of clattering trains, shadowy factories and fragile human connections. The result is a musical that feels intimate and epic all at once: emotionally direct, politically resonant and richly atmospheric.
Other musicals next weekend
Abba Voyage
Titanique
Disney's Hercules
Oliver!
Museum Tours Next Weekend
British Museum
Tower of London
Madame Tussauds London
National Gallery
Attraction Tours Next Weekend
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (Harry Potter)
Windsor Castle
Westminster Abbey
