Controversy after controversy arises in this upcoming retelling of an ancient Greek myth. There are fierce online debates over representation, diversity, and whether modern audiences even possess the media literacy to critique a story when they aren’t educated on its ancient roots. I am, of course, talking about the highly anticipated limited theatrical release of Hadestown: The Musical, dropping July 24.
Wait, did you think I meant The Odyssey?
While the rest of the internet is busy shouting about Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey film — that other Greek myth-turned-movie with an O-named lead, theater kids and mythology fans alike are losing their minds in anticipation of Hadestown finally hitting the silver screen. As a certified theater girl who has seen everything from the original cast on Broadway to local high school productions, it’s no exaggeration to say I’ve witnessed the many ways this show can be interpreted.
Though “controversy” might be a bit of an exaggeration for a fandom whose biggest debates are usually which actor captures Orpheus the best (or even what type of flower appears on the playbill), a more reductive debate has taken root on social media.
Thanks to the popularity of the West End cast album, the addition of Jack Wolfe to the cast, and the recent release of the Teen Edition, Hadestown has gained new followers and well-deserved traction on social media. As much as I love the attention my favorite show is finally getting, the online discourse has made me seriously question the media literacy of bad faith arguments that misinterpret what could be otherwise read as an incredibly powerful story. Specifically, the internet has developed a surprisingly cynical misunderstanding of Orpheus.
Lately, critics on TikTok and other platforms love to label Orpheus as “neglectful” or “toxic,” arguing that during “Chant” he fundamentally abandons Eurydice to work on his music. This frustration often peaks at the climax, with many online fans expressing genuine anger and disbelief that he still chooses to turn around at the very end of the show. I understand how these actions invite a misogynistic interpretation, and it is fair to argue that his failings can be viewed as neglect or betrayal. However, while I do not entirely disagree with these critiques, I want to explore a more hopeful perspective on his behavior.
In this version, Eurydice has agency. Her choice to go to Hadestown isn’t just rooted in poverty, it’s also her nature. The musical makes clear she’s always running away, and going to the Underworld is another example of that. Neither she nor Orpheus is particularly reasonable or uncomplicated, but they don’t have to be. They are reflections of each other’s best and worst qualities. Orpheus sees the world for what it could be but lacks the harsh discernment Eurydice possesses. Eurydice sees the world as it is but lacks the wonder Orpheus brings to the table. This is why their realization during “Promises” is so moving. They discover that both their relationship, and by extension, the world require a balance of hope and reality to work.
In the simplest way to put it, an Orpheus who doesn’t turn around is simply no Orpheus at all. Especially in the context of the musical, the emotional weight doesn’t come from his physical choice to look back, but from the audience’s desperate hope that, this time, he won’t.
That said, he turns around to look for Eurydice because he’s become too much like her as the “Doubt Comes In.” He simply can’t see the world as bright and hopeful anymore. To be fair, after being beaten bloody and having the Fates whispering in his ear, it would be difficult for anyone to do. I honestly believe that the vitriol some have towards Orpheus comes from the fact that by the end of the show, Eurydice has finally embraced Orpheus’ original hope, making his doubt in her hurt even more.
This is not to say Orpheus is without flaws; of course he isn’t. After all, his actions ultimately led to Eurydice’s descent into Hadestown in the first place. But whether it’s out of love, guilt, or the simple need to rectify his mistakes, he still chooses to take that journey down below. He still sings a song of love so powerful even Hades himself weeps. Taken out of the context of the myth, Hadestown is an allegory for love and hope, not just for a romantic partner but for the world itself.
“To see the way the world could be, in spite of the way that it is,” that is what Orpheus represents and loses along the way. No, perhaps we shouldn’t praise Orpheus for turning around, but in our own lives “When the Chips are Down,” all we can do is try again. This is why the filmed version of Hadestown coming to the big screen is so important. As someone with a deep love for theater, I would never deny that seeing a show live on Broadway is an experience like no other. But releasing this musical in movie theaters allows the ideas sung about in “We Raise Our Cups” and the “Road to Hell (Reprise)” to reach an even broader audience.
I can only hope that they will watch this musical with the same good faith that Orpheus starts the performance with, and that Eurydice ends it with. We need a little more realistic, and of course nuanced, discussion in the fandom space. That’s the perspective that allows us to sit in the dark and find hope in a tragedy we already know by heart.
As Hermes says, it’s an old tale from way back when, and we’re going to sing it again and again… because it might turn out this time.
…oh and you can go see The Odyssey in theaters July 17 too, I guess.
