Songwriter Anaïs Mitchell starting working on these ideas in the mid-2000s in Vermont, before taking the songs to the studio to record 2010’s lo-fi folk album Hadestown. It’s no surprise that the show’s return to the UK – and its West End debut, at the Lyric Theatre – is being greeted with some fanfare. However, most people will come to see a musical for the music – and this is where Hadestown truly excels. The band is excellent, too – reminiscent of a New Orleans jazz band, the musical style is unlike anything else on the West End. It’s quite unlike anything else in the West End right now – well worth a visit, and be prepared for these songs to stay in your head long after you’ve left the theatre.

Source: The Times February 22, 2024 14:16 UTC