Hadestown: Teen Edition is a rousing success, chock-full of actors bursting with talent beyond their years.

Anaïs Mitchell struck gold when she first produced Hadestown over fifteen years ago. The musical, as it has developed, perfectly weaves together the Greek myths of Orpheus and Eurydice with those of Hades and Persephone, making the younger couple a reflection of the love the two gods once shared, which soured and left the world cold in response.

One of the ingenious inventions of Hadestown is how it plays with its status as an adaptation of myth. There’s a lot of focus placed on storytelling in the musical, and drawing attention to the cyclical nature of performing it over and over again; “it’s a sad song… but we sing it anyway”. Thus, all the different iterations are brought together under one banner: folk songs around the campfire, where no version is definitive or superior. It becomes the perfect musical for non-professional performers, and especially for a teen production wanting to sink their teeth into something extraordinary.

Hadestown: Teen Edition, then, is a perfect choice for Centrestage Productions Youth Theatre, performing this week at the Rose Theatre in Eastleigh. Bringing together an ensemble of talented young performers, the musical deftly balances the constraints of being beyond Broadway's budget while still allowing the focus to be on each of the skilful stars.

I will confess to being a major Hadestown fan; I consider it one of the most interesting productions currently operating in the contemporary theatrical space, and having recently seen it on Broadway, I was slightly trepidacious about how it would compare. But I was utterly blown away by the professionalism and talent on display. 

The youthful energy of the show casts many small elements in a new light. Orpheus and Eurydice are always played as the archetypal young lovers, but with young actors in the role, that’s never been more inhabited. Ronnie Ellis fills Orpheus with a defiant vulnerability, with a voice ideally suited - and I appreciated the “Jordan Fisher ripple” during his rendition of “Wait for Me”. Abigail Fairman’s Eurydice is an excellent foil at the start of Act One, an insurmountable frosty girl whom Orpheus is desperate to romance. When she later dethaws, she utterly breaks my heart in “Flowers”, desperately clawing onto the memories she is losing. The Fates, a devious presence who lurk like vultures in the depths of scenes, have always had a mean girl energy to them, but here Immy Perrin, Rosie Drennan and Asia Kokorina weaponise their age to pull on a portrayal of a popular clique making those around them inferior.

Matt Harris is a formidable presence as Hades. The ruler of the underworld is a demanding role, especially for a teenage actor, but from his first line, Harris shakes the room with a booming bass that had several audience members audibly surprised. His performance brought to mind Patrick Page, the original Hades, and left a strong impression. George Singleton’s Hermes is cocky and sure of himself, but the character has the presence to back it up. He owns the stage from the moment he introduces the show, and the long, extended note during “Way Down Hadestown” is a nice addition that I wouldn’t mind seeing elsewhere. 

Eva Perraton delivers an effortless performance as Persephone. The character is usually the one I consider the least during other productions, but here she centres the show, effortlessly going from goddess drinking to escape her problems, to being won over by Orpheus’ song. She bursts with energy, her voice suffused with a raspiness better than that of actors twice her age, and her rendition of Act Two opener “Our Lady of the Underground” is the best version of the number I’ve seen.

The ensemble is the backing force for the whole show, and here it benefits the show by being larger, double the size of a traditional crew. When Orpheus serenades them and turns them against their master, the staging is utilised to show them arm in arm standing overhead Hades, above him in height and in power. It’s a neat trick that I’m surprised isn’t done elsewhere, and the number of the ensemble further accentuates the strength of the many, outweighing the status of the few.

The graffiti-laden barrels, filled with spotlights to simulate the swinging chandeliers of the original staging, were an inspired choice, and the orange jumpsuits worn by the workers of Hadestown create a distinct visual identity. Still, I would’ve preferred a stronger, more cohesive aesthetic, especially since it diverges from how the West End edition costumes and dresses the show; there was more room to play with its look.

Hadestown: Teen Edition is a rousing success, chock-full of actors bursting with talent. I recommend seeing the show over its next few performances, which are sure to get even stronger as the run continues. It’s a reminder that even the oldest stories can feel new again when told by a new generation, and this cast sings it beautifully, even knowing it’s a sad song…

Hadestown: Teen Edition runs at the Rose Theatre until Saturday, 1st November, and you can get your tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cpyt