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The previously-mentioned celebrity from the musical group Girls Aloud, Nicola Roberts, is showered with praises for her portrayal of Persephone in the West End production of Hadestown. The performance has been declared London’s Theater Show of the Week already. Along with the announcement, the extension of the ticket selling until January 18 has come as a delight for the theater-goers who want to watch the actress as the mythical figure that many see as her perfect casting.
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The official Hadestown UK account not only told the story but also shared a video where Roberts can be seen, singing the goddess of Spring in an extremely powerful way. In this moving scene she portrays the duality of Persephone – she brings life and is also connected to the underworld – and the singer seems to be performing ‘Our Lady of the Underground,’ the character’s signature number that enables her to display both delicacy and strength.
Critics, along with Roberts’ fan club, have given her the same treatment by unanimously niagging her with positives on her role. They all have said she is the actress who should be cast as this complex character and that she fits the role like a glove. One comments beautifully what most people feel by saying, ‘She is the perfect Persephone,’ while another says, ‘The voice which was meant to play Persephone.’
Some of the observers pointed out that besides Roberts’ extraordinary vocal qualities, her character has been further enhanced. ‘Nicola’s voice is so tangible— the rasp and the warmth are so enchanting!’ one person said. ‘This role is so naturally born for Nicola, as if we have been telling her the story of Persephone forever!’ Using these terms, the commentator underlined that Roberts’ special voice allows for the myth of the character who is vacillating between the underworld and the earthly world to be treated more profoundly.
The fans’ eagerness to understand and help Roberts’ casting is the same as the reactions that follow. ‘Oh I’m SO thrilled to see spring goddess in the figure of Nicola,’ one fan wrote. ‘My heart is bursting.’ Another simply stated, ‘We are extremely proud of our lady,’ thus signaling the strong bond that many have with Roberts’ theatrical success.
The singer-songwriter known as Roberts gained her initial fame as a member of the British musical group Girls Aloud, which was extremely popular and successful, but she has been gradually working to build her credentials as a stage performer. Her casting in Hadestown is a definite turning point in her career as a theater actress and the public’s rapturous reaction indicates that they are ready to accept the transformation from pop star to stage diva.
There has been a lot of buzzing about the production in the circles of theater community in London already. Hadestown is the show that got 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical during Broadway run week and it uses a very nice folk and jazz-inspired score to tell the story of the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The cast of Persephone is considered to be the hardest actress due to the fact that she needs to embody the pleasure of spring and the darkness of her underworld existence at the same time.
After the show, some audience members said they planned to watch it again, and one even said that they ‘couldn’t wait to see it again so soon.’ Others confessed that they were ‘hooked’ on the performance and one more person claimed to be ‘re-watching’ it over and over again. These comments reveal the powerful influence that Roberts is having.
The excitement is not limited to the residents of London; one of the abroad fans posted, ‘Yay @lilcola!! I wish I was in London!’ expressing his disappointment about not being able to watch the show. A different person, who is going through a tough time, explained his attempts to see the production before Roberts’ role is over, ‘Really trying to see her before her run ends but there is a bereavement in the family so probably not this side of Christmas. January hopefully.’
In separate comments, critics have praised the actress pretty much the same, most people calling her ‘absolutely divine in this part’ and ‘incredible.’ One fan even went as far as to say: ‘She should become the international west end superstar,’ implying the vast recognition of her performance.
However, while celebrating Roberts’ casting, one comment acknowledged the past actresses who played the character, saying, ‘I loved Rachel Tucker in London and Yola on Broadway,’ which indicates that the history of the production is still being acknowledged while embracing Roberts’ interpretation.
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The overwhelming majority are very much in support of Nicol a Roberts who is not just playing Persephone but is actually sharing the character’s soul in a way that seems both real and enchanting. One of the commenters captured this dramatically with his statement, ‘Yes, she is the only one Persephone!’ The run has been extended through January 18, and exclusive tickets are offered for one of those Wicked events. Roberts recently discussed her nocturnal Hadestown life during an early morning BBC Breakfast interview. She also stunned at the Wicked movie premiere in a glamorous pink sapphire look.
