Hadestown: The Musical

Near the end, as suspense builds from an extreme close-up of Hermes’ shoes tapping their way into the scene, it’s clear that Sullivan isn’t just honoring the stage production. He is showing us what only cinema can.

Move over “Odyssey,” here’s another Greek tragedy of love and war, done as a fabulous musical. Initially set for a five-day limited run, this live capture of the stage smash has been extended by popular demand. Don’t miss it.

Director Brett Sullivan shoots the entire stage, but he also inserts shots of his performers’ hands and faces. You can see the tears in their eyes, the sweat on their brows, and the intricate details of their costumes. An occasional split diopter or overhead shot keeps the proceedings cinematic.

There is such a temporal quality to theater, a shared moment in time and space. This production feels like a fleeting moment — a reunion of friends and collaborators retelling a myth that is recounted over and over again.

Hadestown: The Musical is another meaningful professional capture of a spectacular musical telling an iconic story in such a beautiful way.

It’s a handsome, sharp translation of the stage to the silver screen. If it doesn’t fully recapture the electricity of watching these performers live, it at least confirms that the show, seven years past its Broadway debut, still has the ability to sweep you into its world.

I like the cinematic approach of the filming and editing, catching close-ups, cutting to musicians for solos and the like.