As an NSTA representative, it was a pleasure to watch the wonderful performance of Hadestown performed by Towers School and Sixth Form College on the evening of Thursday 2nd April 2026. Directed with skill by Grace Day, with Musical Direction by Andy Sharps and choreographed by Ellie Palmer, with a score rooted in folk, blues, and jazz, and a narrative that is by turns tender and fatalistic, this musical makes for a very satisfying evening, and this is certainly what the Towers School and Sixth Form College provided in their beautifully sung version of this modern classic.
Hadestown, a musical conceived and written by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and directed by Rachel Chavkin, is a show that draws on two intertwined Greek myths to telling effect. The story follows Orpheus, a young and idealistic poet, and his love for Eurydice, who is lured to the underworld by Hades’ promises of warmth and security. Orpheus descends after her, hoping that the power of his music alone will be enough to win her back. Running alongside this is the fractured relationship between Hades and Persephone, whose seasonal separation gives the show much of its emotional texture, while the three Fates spin their fabled thread to decide how each tale will pan out. The show is held together by Hermes, the winged messenger of the Gods who plays the role of Narrator throughout and acts as friend, not just to Orpheus but to the listening audience.
Anthony presented a confident and engaging narrator as Hermes, guiding the audience through the story with ease and a pleasingly natural authority. Evelyn brought a complementary quality to the part, carrying herself with poise and a quiet assurance that added real depth to proceedings. The two worked together highly collaboratively to ensure this presentation of Hermes was seamlessly delivered and effective at framing the narrative of the show. Furthermore, the vocals from both actors were excellent, and indeed this high quality of singing was a real strength of this production throughout.
Charlie portrayed the central figure of Orpheus with appealing sincerity, and his journey from hopeful dreamer to desperate supplicant was handled with care and sensitivity. Charlie’s vocals were a genuine and soaring highlight – clear, expressive, and well-deployed across the range of the score. ‘Wait For Me’ has become such an iconic number that it really does demand the highest quality each time and on this front, Charlie fully delivered, as he did again and again with songs such as ‘Come Home With Me’ and the various incarnations of ‘Epic’.
As Eurydice, Ava was equally impressive, an accomplished tragedienne who brought real emotional intelligence to the role, with a richness and strength of vocals that drew the audience in from her first appearance to her tragic final exit. Ava carried this part with confidence and conviction at every turn.
Victoria (Persephone) offered a vibrant and welcome Overworld presence, bringing energy and a well-judged sense of mischief to these scenes, while capturing just as effectively the darkness of her Underworld existence. Yet again, her vocals were spellbinding. As Hades, meanwhile, Thomas cut a gravelly-voiced and quietly menacing figure, providing exactly the kind of sinister authority the role required.
As the Fates, Freya, Holly and Ava provided outstanding vocals. Their unaccompanied harmonisation of ‘Nothing Changes’ was simply breathtaking, and the musical quality of their performances shone and lifted the quality of performance throughout the evening.
The production’s ensemble worked diligently throughout, their collective effort doing much to sustain the world of the show and carry the narrative forward. Both as Revellers and then as Workers, the ensemble helped set the patterns and rhythms of the wider tale, building a strong framework in which the talented leads could shine, while delivering effective group choreography that carried forward each chapter of the story.
On the production side, the lighting design shifted in mood and palette to support the drama at each turn, while the set was striking in its simplicity, conjuring the necessary atmosphere without overreaching. The projection of sound throughout was particularly clear and crisp, with every lyric intelligible. Direction and choreography were sharp and clear.
Towers School and Sixth Form College delivered a production of Hadestown that was well-crafted, beautifully and powerfully sung, and warmly performed. The cast and creative team approached this ambitious piece with maturity, sensitivity, and a clear understanding of its emotional depth, drawing the audience fully into its haunting and timeless world. From the stirring ensemble work to the moving central performances, every element combined to create an evening of theatre that was both compelling and memorable. It may be an old song, but sung this well, we would certainly welcome hearing it sung again.
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