MickeyJoTheatre: How is Nicola Roberts in HADESTOWN? | Thoughts on the new West End cast of the award-winning musical

Host: Mickey Jo
Date: October 18, 2025
[All timestamps in MM:SS format]

Episode Overview

In this lively and insightful podcast episode, theatre critic and content creator Mickey Jo reviews the latest West End cast of Hadestown, focusing on Nicola Roberts (of Girls Aloud fame) as Persephone. Drawing from his extensive experience with over ten viewings of the show, Mickey Jo shares fresh observations about both the production and its evolving cast, while also celebrating the rich, evolving tapestry that Hadestown offers repeat viewers. This episode not only evaluates Nicola Roberts’s performance but gives deep dives into the strengths and nuances of the new principal cast, offering a vibrant and accessible critique for both die-hard fans and newcomers to Hadestown alike.

Introduction to Hadestown & Mickey Jo’s Ongoing Relationship with the Show

[01:01 – 08:50]

• Mickey Jo’s Personal Connection: Having seen Hadestown at least 11 times across different cities, Mickey Jo describes his journey from respectful appreciation to deep emotional connection.

  “My whole thing now with the show is there is such depth and such richness… I find something new to be excited about and be surprised about every single time.” (03:37)

• Brief Overview of Hadestown:

  • Explains the premise: A retelling of Greek myths (Hades/Persephone, Orpheus/Eurydice) in a timeless, Americana and folk-jazz musical setting.
  • Highlights the show's themes—climate change, political strife, inequality—woven subtly into the narrative.
  • Describes the show as “therapeutic… a whisky drink, one that has to be appreciated slowly and one that you steadily acquire a taste for, even if you might not like it to begin with.” (07:21)

Recent Observations & The Show’s Expanding Layers

[08:50 – 13:39]

• Creative Discoveries:
  • Praises choreography by David Neumann and direction by Rachel Chavkin, particularly the symbolic dance between Hades and Persephone in Act II:

    “…the entire thing is based on the idea of them moving apart and then coming back together… speaks to the rotation of the Earth, speaks to the cyclical year, the calendar, the seasons…” (11:40)

  • Notes the lighting design by Bradley King—especially the visual storytelling in “Wait for Me” and its transition into Hadestown’s industrial world.

Review: Nicola Roberts as Persephone

[13:40 – 21:07]

• Background: Nicola Roberts, former Girls Aloud singer, steps into Persephone’s shoes after a delayed West End debut, previously interrupted by the pandemic (City of Angels).

• Vocal Performance:

  • “Nicola sounds fantastic as Persephone. It’s a clean and very jazzy vocal tone, one that lends itself really well to the nature of her music.” (15:11)
  • Her Persephone feels vibrant, youthful—described as spring-like, with an “Ophelia from Hamlet” quality.
  • Highlights her standout number “Our Lady of the Underground,” where her gig experience and rapport with musicians shine.

• Acting & Stage Presence:

  • Her performance is subtler, more refined than predecessors, evoking an “elegant Victorian doll” with subtle facial expressions.
  • Mickey Jo wishes for a bit more emotional openness and specificity, especially compared to Victoria Hamilton-Barritt’s fiery, extroverted Persephone:

    “…everything is played quite subtly and quite small… I would love to see her connect to [emotionally moving moments] with a little more openness and vulnerability.” (17:43)

• Distinct Interpretation:

  • Commends the show for allowing replacements to truly reinterpret their roles — not just fill a blueprint:

    “…with something like Six, something like Hadestown, you get to really reinvent the wheel every time.” (19:23)

  • Nicola’s Persephone brings an “ethereal and earth-spirit” vibe, capturing the kidnapped princess angle with goddess-like qualities.
  • Notes her relative inexperience on stage but asserts she delivers a “robust performance” that feels cohesive within the cast.

Other Principal Cast Reviews

[22:14 – 31:36]

Cedric Neal as Hermes

• Imbues the role with spiritual gravitas and vocal mastery.

  “…he feels very much like a spiritual leader and…channeling that sense of faith and reverence into the material… I don’t know if I’ve ever heard Hermes sung with such fluidity and such vocal prowess.” (22:20)

• Finds joy and playfulness in Hermes, making the god “mischievous” and emotionally invested in the tragic outcome.

Dylan Wood as Orpheus

• “Top three, maybe top two” Orpheuses seen by Mickey Jo.
• Scottish accent brings authenticity; endearing, charming stage presence.

  “He delivers a really phenomenal ‘If It’s True’ in the second act… and he sounded so great tonight in the upper register moments.” (24:14)

• Convinces as a “musical prophet capable of singing the world back together again.”

Desmonda Cathabel as Eurydice

• Recent rising star; powerful, “stratospheric” belt voice but also “full of emotion, very kind of Disney princess quality.”
• Shows strengths in both high notes and emotional moments, though Mickey Jo calls for deeper sincerity in certain first-act dialogue.

  “…just a couple of those where I don’t 100% believe her and I just need a little bit more sincerity in terms of her pain and woe and fear.” (27:00)

• Displays moments of humor and intrigue, especially in her early interactions with Orpheus and Hades.

Chris Jarman as Hades

• Brings a distinct British accent (“some kind of London accent”) to Hades, with both brash villainy and surprising vulnerability.

  “There is a vulnerability and a softness to the way that he plays it, which is so well contrasted by the brashness and the villainy of his characterization the rest of the time…” (29:11)

• Masterful use of vocal range and emotional dynamics in both spoken and sung passages.

Ensemble & Final Thoughts

[31:36 – 32:10]

• Praises the ensemble, the fates, the onstage musicians, and the swings for delivering consistent quality and vibrance to the production.
• Reiterates the show’s rewards for repeat viewings due to its depth.
• Encourages listeners (and viewers on YouTube) to share their own thoughts and check out more Hadestown-related content on his channel.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It is not a heavy handed reinterpretation of that mythology, but it’s all there in the material… If this is a show that you have only seen or listened to the once and you enjoyed, but didn’t quite feel like you got the full impact, I would encourage you to go again.” (05:21)
• “[Nicola Roberts’s] Persephone… doesn’t feel as sort of rough or jagged… this sense of youth, this sense of springtime, …is evoked in her performance and her aesthetic.” (15:29)
• “With something like Six, something like Hadestown, you get to really reinvent the wheel every time.” (19:23)
• “He is so endearing, he is so sweet, so charming…” – on Dylan Wood as Orpheus (24:44)
• “She has one of those really remarkable voices with this stratospheric belt that is full of emotion…” – on Desmonda Cathabel as Eurydice (26:13)
• “If the snakeskin boot fits, as they say.” – on Chris Jarman’s Trump-tinged performance in “Why We Build the Wall” (30:43)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:01 — Start of main episode; Hadestown obsession and history
• 05:30 — Show’s themes and “layers”
• 08:50 — Recent creative/choreographic discoveries
• 13:40 — Nicola Roberts as Persephone: background, analysis
• 22:14 — Cedric Neal as Hermes
• 24:02 — Dylan Wood as Orpheus
• 26:13 — Desmonda Cathabel as Eurydice
• 29:00 — Chris Jarman as Hades
• 31:36 — Ensemble, final cast thoughts

Conclusion

Mickey Jo delivers a detailed, passionate critique of the new West End cast of Hadestown, particularly lauding Nicola Roberts for her surprisingly nuanced and vocally strong Persephone. The episode is packed with insightful observations on casting, direction, and the musical’s evolving artistry, ultimately inviting listeners to experience the show for themselves—and discover its multitudinous layers through repeat visits.