Hadestown and Six: Great Theatre Onscreen

Two of the decade’s best musicals now have exquisite film captures that preserve these brilliant works while giving them a new intimacy.

First up is Hadestown, Anais Mitchell’s Tony-winning tribute to Greek myths. The show’s original Broadway cast reunited in London to film this classic tale.

Tragic lovers Orpheus and Eurydice get extra poignancy in this version since they’re played by real-life couple Reeve Carney and Eva Noblezada. They’ve matured in the roles nicely.

Their underworld counterparts Hades and Persephone (Patrick Page and Amber Gray) are equally impressive. Gray is terrifically flexible and in great voice, while Page adds gravitas with his commanding bass tone.

Hermes, the messenger god, narrates the story. Tony winner Andre De Shields excels as this mischievous guide.

While stage director Rachel Chavkin’s vision reigns supreme, film director Brett Sullivan adds some clever cinematic touches when characters descend into Hadestown. He even gives Orpheus and Eurydice’s fateful walk the suspense it deserves.

Also filmed in London, Six is Lucy Moss and Toby Marlow’s pop musical about the six wives of Henry VIII. They initially compete to see who had it worst, but they soon realize that it’s better to work as a team.

You might know these queens from the “Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived” rhyme. In this show, each of them gets a new song to sing:

• Catherine of Aragon (“No Way”)
• Anne Boleyn (“Don’t Lose Ur Head”)
• Jane Seymour (“Heart of Stone”)
• Anna of Cleves (“Get Down”)
• Katherine Howard (“All You Wanna Do”)
• Catherine Parr (“I Don’t Need Your Love”)

Moss and Marlow’s brilliant score is the star here, and all the West End queens perform it with gusto. Everyone has a chance to shine in both solo tracks and group numbers. The book is also wonderfully witty.

Both Hadestown and Six are a testament to making theatre more accessible and capturing the thrill of live performance for the masses.