A Sad Song Worth Singing Again and Again

André De Shields (as Hermes) tells the story of Eurydice (Eva Noblezada) and Orpheus (Reeve Carney) in Hadestown (Photo: Matthew Murphy)

I watched Hadestown today. It was highly recommended to me in August, when the filming of its West End production was playing in theatres, but I missed my chance because I was in the middle of rehearsals six days a week. At least, that’s the story I told myself. But I also did not squeeze in a matinee showing, because I couldn’t imagine myself enjoying a show that ends as sadly as does the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Then I saw a Facebook post from another friend, one who leans in the opposite political direction from the recommending friend. She described it as appalling and “the most blatant piece of theatrical Marxist propaganda” she’d ever seen.

I have a constant itch to check such claims these days, so Hadestown went on my list of things to see and write about, when I finally got the opportunity. Thanks to Prime Video, that was today. It was the most inspiring musical I’ve seen since Come From Away and spoke to me in a more personal way than even that one did. I recommend it without reservation and with a sense of wonder. I also recommend proactively putting away any shoulder chips and approaching it as a tale that is far removed from partisan politics.

That may be difficult because the appearance of political satire is both glaring and pointed. I suspect that’s why my friend mistook it as Marxist. It certainly comes across in the current moment as anti-MAGA. For example, when Hades starts singing the call and response song “Why We Build the Wall” it certainly looks like proof positive that the villain of this show is designed as a caricature of President Donald Trump. But he isn’t. How do we know? Because the original version of the musical was written in 2006 by 25-year-old Vermont songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, long before Mr. Trump ran for office. The 2010 recorded version of the song has virtually the same lyrics as the 2019 Broadway cast recording. This is not anti-Trump propaganda. Nor is it pro-Marxist. It contains references to the teachings of Jesus in a way that presents them as positive, far from Marx’s “opiate of the masses.” It undermines violent revolution and supports universal brotherhood that embraces even Hades, despite his tyranny over millions of souls.

Hades (Patrick Page) can’t resist Orpheus (Reeve Carney)’s appeal to their common experience

Hadestown is not a political tract. Instead, it’s the story of a poet and composer who dreamed of bringing about world peace through his music. He had the gift to see and reach for the world as it could be, while also embracing the world as it was. He had the sensitivity to really see people, to connect and awaken the better parts of their nature they’d forgotten, through his art. He had the courage to march into the jaws of hell for love. The humanity to connect with his enemy. And the stubborn optimism to disregard the decree that freedom for his loved one and the whole world was impossible.

There is genius in the show’s approach to a tragic myth. We are warned in the opening number that this is an old song, a sad song, and a tragedy, but “someone’s got to tell the tale/ Whether or not it turns out well/ Maybe it will turn out this time/ On the road to Hell/ On the railroad line.” It then pulls us fully into the story of Orpheus and Eurydice; so fully that the tragedy at the ending is heart-breaking. But it’s also old. We knew it was coming. And we’ve seen, not only what Orpheus failed to do, but also what he did that was supposed to be impossible. We’ve seen how close he came. We can’t help but feel invited to do likewise. And maybe we will fall short too, like all the poets and dreamers who’ve preceded us. But nonetheless, the world will be better because of our efforts. And somebody else will take up the torch, again and again. Everytime, something changes for the better. “Maybe it will turn out this time.” That hope is reason enough to try.

One more powerful message from the musical is that we need each other. We need to be brave enough to still sing when we sing alone. But when we can stand together hand in hand, that’s when darkness has to fall away.

I believe that message. And also that those few with malicious motives believe it too. That’s why we’re so often warned against each other, urged to approach art like this with our differences and our distrust top of mind, instead of our shared humanity. And that’s why I’d invite you, if you haven’t seen Hadestown, to give it a chance. Maybe, like me, you hate sad endings. Or maybe you’ve heard that it’s a pack of socialist tripe. But maybe, if you watch it, you’ll see what I saw instead. And maybe it will inspire you, like it does me, to “sing in the dead of night” and to “bloom in the bitter snow.”

Please let me know what the show does for you.