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Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre

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By Leah Gabriella Cardenas

I saw the award-winning musical Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre on Saturday, July 11th. 

I bought my tickets about five days prior for just £39. There was plenty of availability at a range of prices and views. The show is also running until June 2027.

I arrived right when the doors opened, 45 minutes before showtime. The queue moved fairly quickly and I was inside the theatre within 10 minutes. I immediately got into another queue to purchase a program from the merchandise stand. There were quite a few other merch items from t-shirts to a vinyl of a live recorded performance. 

The Lyric Theatre is located on the busy Shaftesbury Street, near a number of other theaters. Inside, the walls and ceilings are decorated with red velvet, gold accents, and chandeliers. The theatre only seats 938 people so the show felt pretty intimate.

I sat in row F of the Grand Circle section. My seat was in the middle which gave me a great view of the entire stage. However, just a few seats to the left and right of me had extremely obstructed views with poles blocking over half of the stage. It surprised me that the theatre sells those seats at all.

I spoke to the couple sitting next to me who also luckily missed the obstructed view by a few seats. They had not known much about the musical but just wanted to see a West End show and came across Hadestown. I got to give them a little synopsis of the show before it started. 

Photography by Brinkhoff Moegenburg

Hadestown follows the relationship between Hades and Persephone as well as Orpheus and Eurydice. Eurydice voluntarily goes to the underworld because of the harsh weather on the world above that occurs in Persephone’s absence. Orpheus then sets off to get Eurydice back, but Hades won’t let them go that easily. Hermes the messenger god acts as a narrator.

It was first performed in London back in 2018 right before going on Broadway in 2019. Since then, it has won the Tony award for Best Musical and the Grammy award for Best Musical Theater Album. This current West End run started back in February of 2024.

I had never seen the show in full before, but I’ve listened to the soundtrack many times. When it came to the set design, lighting, and costumes though, I truly had no idea what to expect.

Photography by Brinkhoff Moegenburg

The set was almost like a jazz bar which makes sense with the music. The musicians were on both sides of the stage on platforms that created walkways between them and the balcony in the back center. Throughout the show, the worker ensemble would move the tables and chairs around center stage to create new scenes. Then, when Eurydice goes to Hadestown, the sides of the stage where the musicians are moved out, leaving more room in the center and walkways. This also allowed the rotating stage floor in the center to come into greater play. 

The main cast for this day was Marley Fenton as Orpheus, Bethany Antonia as Eurydice, Juan Jackson as Hades, Clive Rowe as Hermes, and Rachel Adedeji as Persephone. Each of their performances were amazing, but Persephone and her voice truly stood out to me. Adedeji also played a great drunk, which was both entertaining and showed part of why Persephone chooses to spend half the year in the underworld. 

Photography by Brinkhoff Moegenburg

During the 20 minute interval, I spoke with a grandmother who came to see the show with her granddaughter. They came about two hours out of London just to see the show. The granddaughter was a huge fan of Hadestown while the grandmother was there to spend time with her. So far, they said their favorite part of the show was the Fates. The Fates act as a conscience, pressuring Eurydice, Orpheus, and even Hades. The granddaughter talked about their harmonies. I also liked the height difference between this cast of the Fates because it made for some dynamic formations and choreography.

Towards the end of the musical, is the recently viral “Wait for Me (Reprise)” which Antonia portrayed Eurydice’s verse more as encouragement than desperation and I liked that. I thought Antonia and Fenton’s characterization of Eurydice and Orpheus, respectively, made the ending even more devastating.

After seeing the full show live, I have come to appreciate the musical even more. The costumes and set made the story come to life. On top of that, this cast was phenomenal and so I raise my cup to them.

Hadestown will be touring the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2027 so if you’re unable to catch them at the Lyric Theatre, check out the tour dates here.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

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By Leah Gabriella Cardenas

For the summer of 2026, Shakespeare’s comedy play A Midsummer Night’s Dream has returned to the Globe Theatre. 

I attended the 7:30pm show on Tuesday, July 7th. I was given free tickets from CIEE, however, prices typically range from £5 for standing to £88 for seating. 

I had never read or seen the play in full before, but I did know of the premise from excerpts in movies and on social media. In summary, there are several intertwined storylines: four young Athenians lost in the woods, a feuding fairy king and queen, and amateur actors rehearsing a play. 

Though I arrived just after 7pm, I was able to stand at the very front and center. The show started a little bit early with the cast bringing up audience members to do auditions for the play that’s within the actual play. We learned a song, some got to dance, and others performed a short monologue. Shortly after, the show began.

The stage was the first thing I was able to take in. The venue itself is an open-air 360° auditorium, but it was still intimate as it only holds 1,570 audience members. For this production, the stage had four runways where the actors often entered from as well as stairs in the front center. This made the audience feel even more immersed in the story.

Before attending, I wasn’t aware that the show was extremely interactive and not just during the pre-show auditions. There were shoutouts to different audience members when the amateur play’s casting was called. The actors walked through and stood in the yard many times. Audience members were even chosen to actually be in the play, wedding ceremony, and help Puck put the Athenians to sleep. 

Photography by Helen Murray

Though I unfortunately was not chosen to go up onto the stage, I still felt a part of the show. Being in the front, I was ‘the wall’ in the play and got to link arms with one of the actors. There were several times when the actors spoke their lines directly to me with some intense eye contact. I even got spit on, by accident of course, but I figured that would happen at some point. 

A fellow CIEE intern, Josie Jukita also appreciated the ability to participate. Jukita said, “My favorite part was how interactive it was, the fact that so much of the audience was able to get involved. It was well-integrated into the show and made the experience very memorable.”

The set design, costumes, and props matched the play’s eccentricity. The rainbow flowers and other decor ‘magically’ appear during the show as the fairies come out at night. The colorful and atypical costumes by Fly Davis also brought the play’s whimsy to life. Puck the fairy seemed to be wearing a greenscreen suit and donkey Bottom was more like a piñata. The props were equally unique as Puck’s magic was shown with bubbles. All three aspects complimented each other for a colorfully modern take, which I think made it more digestible for the average viewer. 

Photography by Helen Murray

Romaya Weaver who played Helena was my absolute favorite. Her faces were priceless and her raspy voice, whether intentional or not, fit the role well.

My roommate and fellow CIEE intern, Nowal Farah also thought Helena stood out. “I liked the storyline where the girl [Helena] was in love with the guy [Demetrius] that wasn’t interested,” said Farah. “I thought she was very dramatic and I enjoyed her performance.”

Though the entire cast was brilliant, as most took on two roles as well as sang, danced, and acted. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of singing and dancing throughout. The musicians were tucked up in the stage’s balcony but they truly brought the performance to life. Mel Lowe who played Lysander had a beautiful voice. At one point, she snuck in the “Defying Gravity” run. There were more shoutouts to other musicals with the character Bottom wearing Hamilton and Cats t-shirts during the play rehearsals.

Photography by Helen Murray

Overall, seeing a Shakespeare play in a recreation of Shakespeare’s iconic playhouse was an experience I will never forget. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially with it being my first interactive performance. 

Visit the Shakespeare’s Globe website to get tickets to other performances.

A Journey Back in Time at Shakespeare’s Iconic Globe Theatre

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By: Jake Keller

Stepping into the Globe Theatre is like a waltz back into the 17th century. The exposed wooden beams and thatched roof work together to transport you to medieval times, and when the performers step foot on the stage, your place in the past is solidified. 

I visited Shakespeare’s Globe to watch the classic play “Romeo and Juliet“, but the performance differed slightly from the original. Although the script was largely the same, and the plot remained, the well-known tragedy was set in the Wild West. Actors spoke in American country accents, engaged in saloon brawls, and were adorned with cowboy hats and boots. The show maintained the integrity of William Shakespeare’s original script while offering an exciting modern twist. 

The Globe Theatre first opened in 1599, and surprisingly enough, it was constructed by Shakespeare’s own company of actors, the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. It burned down in 1613 after a cannon misfired during a performance of “Henry VIII”, and it was rebuilt a year later. Unfortunately, the Globe only stood for another 30-odd years before it was demolished to make room for housing, as the Puritans who had obtained power in Parliament deemed theatrical performances “sinful”. 

In 1971, actor and director Sam Wanamaker embarked on a journey to fulfil his dream of reconstructing the Globe. While this endeavor took over 20 years of fundraising and research, construction of the new Globe Theatre was finalized in 1997. The theatre that stands now is merely a replica of the original. It’s about half the size of the Globe where Shakespeare set foot, and despite being near the original site, it was not built in the exact location. Nonetheless, these small details are obsolete in comparison to the work Wanamaker did to bring the magic of the original playhouse back to life in our time.  

The performances are raw. Rather than focusing on over-the-top set design and lighting, they focus on the play itself. The actors don’t wear microphones, but the emotion in their voices carries throughout the house. The audience interacted with the show like none I had ever seen before. There was endless laughter and audible gasping. The performers artfully broke the fourth wall, and at one point, Mercutio sat on the edge of the stage, bending down slowly to kiss a member of the audience right in front of my eyes. He pulled back sharply, and the audience roared with delight. 

If you’re visiting London, I strongly encourage a trip to the Globe. I found that even those who do not usually enjoy theatre found a deeper appreciation after the show’s conclusion. There is perhaps no more authentic a representation of what a Shakespearean play may have felt like circa 1613. We have added modern comforts, but when you dial in to the performance itself, coupled with the atmosphere of the gorgeous theatrical space, you are truly sent on a journey back in time. 



Star Power in Theatre By: Lauren Avila

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Imagine the inside of a theatre. The room is hushed, the lights dim, and a show is about to begin. It is staged in the round, with little to no props and sets. The story is a profound and intriguing tale of a man who has lost the perfectly comfortable life he once knew for one that is uncertain and unsettling. The performers are playing to a sold out audience and bring their best efforts to the stage. This very scene can be experienced at the Bridge Theatre, where Jonathan Bailey of Bridgerton and Wicked fame is currently starring in Richard II to a packed house of 900. The average price of a ticket is £69.50. The premium ticket is well over a hundred pounds and the cheapest comes at low financial price of £29.50 but a much higher cost of view. However, would it surprise you that this same scene could have been found at the Finborough Theatre earlier in March while “The Passengers” played to approximately 50 people for £20. The difference? Perhaps the influence of star power. 

It is hardly a new idea to have a headliner bring in a crowd to entertainment. The concept has been around since the beginning of show business. Does it work?… Should it?

Perhaps. 

Whether a live show, a new film, or series television, there is always the possibility that the content is rubbish regardless of the celebrity status. People will still watch it to catch their favorite star. The tradition carries on with an influx of celebrity actors on stage. On Broadway in New York City, Denzel Washington, Jake Gyllenhaal, George Clooney, Kieran Culkin, Joey Fatone and Joe Jonas are entertaining crowds of fans. 

Here in London, a person can buy a ticket to see Jonathan Bailey, Ewan McGregor, Tom Hiddleston, Hailey Atwell, Brie Larson, John Lithgow, Cate Blanchet, Martin Freeman, Brian Cox, Rosamund Pike, Sean Hayes, and Rami Malek for current and upcoming shows. Ticket prices vary from moderate to reflective of celebrity status. But is it worth it?

Having seen both shows that were previously mentioned, I can’t help but wonder: is star power what sells a show?

Fortunately, “The Passenger” was a sold out show for its entire run in February and March. With an inescapably intimate theater, every seat is a premium seat, incapable of missing a performer’s blink. It’s wonderful to think that over the course of its run almost 2000 people got to experience this show, which was one of the very best productions I’ve seen in the many, many years I’ve been attending the theatre. “The Passenger” is about a Jewish German citizen who tries to hide from Nazis by riding trains across Germany. Personally, the show had me on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the 90 minute show, without an interval. It was made up of a cast of only five actors, led by the talented Robert Neumark Jones as Otto Silbermann. He is extraordinary and I can’t wait to see where his career goes next. 

“Richard II” is a classic play from William Shakespeare about the rise and fall of the King of England. The show’s run time is 2 hrs and 40 mins, including the 20 min interval. The interval provides a needed break from the marathon of words that are lavishing delivered off the tongues of capable actors but still relentlessly presented scene after scene. Nevertheless, I was quite moved by the monologues that exuded visceral emotion, particularly from lead actor, Jonathan Bailey. 

During the break at “Richard II,” I had a conversation with the patron seated beside me. It turns out that this play was the first time she had seen Jonathan Bailey in anything. What luck that I should find a person who came merely to watch a Shakespearean play. 

I asked what her thoughts were about the play so far. She felt that the actor playing Henry Bolingbroke was giving a stronger performance than the actor playing King Richard but noting Bailey’s credits she supposed that “he’s the big draw.”

So is it the celebrity that brings a patron to the stalls? Perhaps it’s the material. Perhaps it truly is both. If that is the case, can a great show stand on its own even without a big name? Must it work harder to garner an audience and win them over? 

On the other hand, is merely having a celebrity enough? Are they worth their weight in gold? 

I reached out to Time Out’s resident theatre critic, Andrzej Lukowski, to get his opinion on the matter. 

“I’d say celebrities are more likely to take on big demanding roles that (theoretically) show off what a good actor they are,” Lukowski said. “They don’t turn up, collect the paycheque and play a minor supporting part and let some unknown classic actors do the lion’s share.”

In other words, one can rely on the idea that if a celebrity joins a show, they are going to put on a performance of high caliber. Everyone on the cast and crew will certainly put their best foot forward too. If you plan to see a famous actor, you can feel confident that the production will likely be as premium as the price. Go ahead and nab that hot ticket (if you can). But remember that great things can be found in small packages. I strongly recommend venturing out to small venues and fringe theatre companies to find hidden gems!