139 f
Midway through Chelsea Morning she declares, “I don’t feel like singing that song so much,” before switching guitar for piano and performing For Free in visible discomfort while photographers call up to her and pro- ceedings grind to halt as a young man “flip- ping out on acid, or some bad drug..,” is led away. Mitchell gamely encourages the audi- ence to sing the chorus of Woodstock, when Yogi Joe – self-styled representative of the Desolation Row straw bale encampment dwellers – appears on stage to make a speech.
His removal sparks unrest in the crowd, and the composer of For Free becomes the focus of ire for those, angered by the perform- ers’ displays of wealth, who believe that the festival should be exactly that. “I wanted to run off stage,” Mitchell recalls. “I sat there, really wanting to run but feeling that I couldn’t…”
Instead, she addresses her
audience’s”fears – and her fears. ‘Listen a minute will ya?” she implores. The transfor- mation is miraculous. California receives a rapturous ovation, and by the time she hits Big Yellow Taxi and Both Sides Now, her face is wreathed in smiles. Yours will be too.
jonimitchell.com Steve Hunt Eva Noblezada as Eurydice in Hadestown
evolved… debuting at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2016 before embarking on its transformation into this major National The- atre run prior to transferring to Broadway.
The official Hadestown London launch was preluded by a beautiful Mitchell solo concert at the National and, empathetically backed by Todd Sickafoose (upright bass), Michael Chorney (guitar) and Liam Robinson (piano, banjo), it was fascinating to hear those songs in sparser form in the more inti- mate Dorfman Theatre, before engaging with the full production treatment afforded by the Olivier. Indeed, those of us who’ve adored Mitchell’s work over the last decade were fearful of what the serious luvvies may have done to her songs (ma!)
HADESTOWN National Theatre, London
Anaïs Mitchell must pinch herself recalling the relatively little-known young singer-songwriter from Vermont trying to write songs for a new album over a decade ago. Little would she have imagined then that the songs she was constructing would develop into a cycle result- ing in a touring show, a concept album, attract- ing the services of artists of the calibre of Justin Vernon, Ani DiFranco and Greg Brown and, unlikeliest of all, a Broadway show.
Even as the project unfolded, her vision of a theatrical performance must have felt like pie in the sky, yet slowly and surely it
But what a show it is! A huge, boisterous cast, an extravagant set that resembles a New Orleans bordello, fantastic costumes, superb choreography, a fine band (including a cer- tain David Delarre on acoustic guitar) playing everything from trad jazz to dark Nick Cave- esque soundscapes delivering an imaginative re-telling of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice transported into depression-era America. Anaïs herself doesn’t appear in the show, but has played a full role in its bold development – largely attributed to director Rachel Chavkin, who first spotted the poten- tial all those years ago – and the heart of the myth of a story about the struggle of the lit- tle guys, power breeding greed and, well, music being the food of love.
It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s unpredictable, it’s provocative and unnerving. It’s also inspira- tionally energetic, joyous, visually thrilling and occasionally shocking too, dazzling with colour and verve… and crucially, through it all, the strength of Mitchell’s music is enhanced rather than diminished by the grandeur of these surroundings. All those album favourites, from Road To Hell to The Wedding Song, Way Down Hadestown and Flowers have come a long way, flourishing in unexpected ways under the ambitious arrangements and orchestrations of Todd Sickafoose. Nothing, though, hits home with as much potency as Why We Build The Wall, Mitchell’s most prescient song, written long before Trump’s ascent to power, but per- formed with pointed modern resonance. Our Lady Of The Underground, too, provides an epic opening to the second half, with a saucy performance from Amber Gray as the rogueish-but-fun Persephone.
Tottering slightly in silver suit and Cuban heels, André De Shields is a twinkle-eyed combination of charm, mischief and creepi- ness in the role of Hermes – narrator-come- soothsayer – and Eva Noblezada’s soulful vocals as the itinerant Eurydice are magnifi- cent; although nothing quite matches the growling menace of Patrick Page’s Hades, whose performance as king of the under- world might be interpreted as a comment on Trump himself.
The one weakness is Reeve Carney as Orpheus, portrayed as a naïve, guitar-toting troubadour who looks like a pretty boy- band renegade. Falling hopelessly in love with Eurydice, he resolutely follows her to the underworld where she has fallen into the clutches of the evil Hades. We are asked to believe that the beauty of Orpheus’s singing has people falling at his feet in awe and wonder and at one point even melts the stony heart of Hades, but it’s hard to be con- vinced by someone with so little emotional depth, sounding like he’s auditioning for a Westlife tribute band. Surely this was a job for Sam Lee?
That apart, it’s a terrific show and a wor-
thy affirmation of Mitchell’s talents and vision. But if you feared she’s now lost to luvvie land forever, fear not. At the pre- Hades Dorfman concert she announced she’s working on a new traditional song project and sang a blinding version of Bonny Light Horseman to prove it, encoring with Woody Guthrie’s Deportees.
Colin Irwin
Photo: Helen Maybanks
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148
