Podcast: Musicals Meets... Sarah Crompton (Hadestown special)

For this Musicals Meets Podcast, Sarah Kirkup talks to Sarah Crompton, one of Britain’s most respected writers and broadcasters, about the new production of Hadestown which has just premiered at the Lyric Theatre in the West End. Crompton is a huge fan of the show, having previously seen the UK production at the National Theatre and reviewing it favourably for WhatsOnStage. She recently wrote a fascinating feature on the new West End production for the current issue of Musicals magazine. 

Blending modern American folk music with New Orleans-inspired jazz, the music for Hadestown is written by the acclaimed Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell. Mitchell originated Hadestown as an indie theatre project and acclaimed album before transforming the show into a genre-defying new musical alongside Tony Award-winning director Rachel Chavkin. 

How has the show been reinvented this time around? What aspects work particularly well, and which performers stand out? The two Sarahs meet to discuss the production in detail. 

Listen to the Musicals Podcast wherever you enjoy podcasts – on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and below: 

Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre is currently booking until 22 December 2024 – visit nimaxtheatres.com 

The first episode of Sarah Crompton’s podcast As the Actress Said to the Critic aired on 5 April 2022. The weekly podcast features actress Nancy Carroll and critic Sarah Crompton offering an insider's view of theatre from different sides of the curtain. It's a frank conversation between friends that aims to reveal what really goes on behind the scenes of both their professions. There's a bit of history, and a lot of stories, some serious, some funny and all revealing some truths about what happens on stage and off. Search for it on Apple Podcasts or in your Podcast App of choice.