Persephone (musical)

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Persephone is a musical written by Emma Hawkins and Caroline Penn and produced by Ana Pagu and Jazz Hands Productions. The musical uses "a fusion of folk music and contemporary dance".^[1] It is based upon a feminist retelling of Greek mythology, featuring the gods of Olympus and the Underworld.^[2]

Productions[edit]

The musical was workshopped virtually by Oxford University students in 2020.^[3] The musical was first staged at the Oxford Playhouse in November 2021.^[4]

In summer 2022, the musical was produced for a national tour,^[5][6] performing at the Cambridge Junction,^[7] Doncaster Little Theatre,^[8][9][10] and the Courtyard Theatre London.^[11][12]

An original cast recording was released in 2022 on Spotify.^[13]

Synopsis[edit]

Act One

Persephone, the young goddess of Spring, tells the audience she is going to tell them a story (Let Me Tell You of a Tale). The story begins in the fields away from Mount Olympus, and a group of narrators lead by Hermes, the messenger God, describe the lives of the gods, from Mount Olympus, to the fields, to the Underworld where the "shadow man" resides (Little Old Town).

Persephone has been sheltered from Mount Olympus by her overbearing mother Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, because of her mother's experiences in Olympus. One night, Persephone meets Hades, the god of the Underworld, in the woods and they dance. After returning home, Persephone still longs for the excitement she felt that night (Tomorrow). Hades is entranced by her, and calls his brother Zeus, King of Olympus for advice. Zeus suggests abduction, which Hades rejects (Hey Brother). Persephone continues to meet with Hades until her mother finds out and becomes furious, and Persephone runs away. Hades invites her to the Underworld, and though she is initially hesitant, she agrees.

Demeter calls Zeus demanding to know where her daughter is, implying the two had a prior relationship, but he denies any knowledge of Persephone. Distraught, Demeter freezes the earth, destroying the harvest and causing disaster for the mortals (I'm Leavin' Today).

Hades and Persephone live together in the Underworld, but Hades worries their happiness cannot last (Just a Dream). When she walks in on him, he introduces her to pomegranates, which have the power to bind a person to the Underworld, with each seed eaten equating to one month of the year spent there. They share a kiss and Persephone reassures him she won't leave.

Up in Olympus, Zeus grows angry that his power is being challenged, and that the mortals are growing restless (The People). He orders Hermes to bring Persephone to Olympus. Hermes tries to bargain with Hades, who becomes hostile. When Hermes mentions that all the mortals are dying because of her mother, Persephone reluctantly agrees to go. Hades insists she takes a pomegranate with her in case she needs to come back, although she is uncomfortable with the idea.

Persephone meets Zeus, who is initially charming, offering her drinks and inviting her to dance. However, when he tells her she cannot return to the Underworld, she lies and tells him she has already eaten 6 pomegranate seeds, and must return in 6 months. He grows angry and sexually assaults her, and afterwards she is left disoriented and alone. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, finds her in the street, and tries to soothe her (Stay By Your Side). Persephone agrees to go with her.

Act Two

Aphrodite returns Persephone to Demeter, who notices something is wrong (Baby Girl). In the Underworld, Hades hallucinates that his brother is taunting him about how Persephone has not returned (Hey Brother Reprise). Some time goes by, and Persephone is now visibly pregnant. Her and Hades separately lament how much they miss each other, but Persephone is still haunted by memories of Zeus (Must Have Been the Wind).

Finally, Persephone returns to the Underworld as per the 6-month agreement. Hades sees that she is pregnant and is at first excited, but when she says she does not know whose it is, he grows angry, assuming she has fallen in love with someone else. She tries to explain but he will not let her. She pleads with him and at the same time, Zeus and his wife Hera confront each other about his devious behavior (The Man I Knew Before). Both couples are estranged.

Hera approaches Hades, who is still not talking to Persephone, and convinces him to give her a drink that will force her to miscarry, convincing him it is the best thing for everyone. She implies that if he does not, then she may have to kill Persephone. Hades enters a dissociative state and gives her the drink (Drifting), which she believes to be an offering of reconciliation. Persephone miscarries and becomes depressed. Hades comes to check on her and she is noticeably unwell. They try to kiss but Hades is wracked by guilt and confesses to what he has done. Persephone is furious and decides to leave, although her official time in the Underworld is not yet up. Hades tries to stop her, telling her she must stick to the lie she told Zeus, but she packs her bags and leaves anyway, pointing out his manipulation of her as a young girl and saying she was a fool to love him (Call Me a Fool).

Persephone goes to stay with Aphrodite, who lives a luxurious and social lifestyle. She takes Persephone to a bar wearing masks so they will not be recognized, where she sings about her hedonistic philosophy (Leave Them Wanting More). Hermes recognizes Persephone in the bar and approaches her. She runs away and he follows her. Hermes tells her about what Hera made Hades do, and that she is not the first this has happened to. Persephone confronts him about why he works for Zeus, and does not object to his crimes, and he admits he is afraid. Persephone says she isn't anymore.

Meanwhile, Zeus tells Hera to kill Persephone, but she refuses, and Zeus grows aggressive. Hera resolves to no longer fix his problems for him, and instead tell all of Olympus of his crimes (For a Moment). She gives the information to Hermes to spread, which will cause the couple´s mutual downfall.

Persephone returns home to the fields, noticing how good it is to be home (Last Days of Spring). She reunites with her mother. Hades comes to see her, but she tells him she will need more time to forgive him. They part, but the narrators say they know they will see each other again (Finale).

Song List[edit]

Source^[13]

Act One

• Let Me Tell You of a Tale - Persephone
• Little Old Town - Narrators, Hermes
• Tomorrow - Persephone, Narrators
• Hey Brother - Hades, Zeus
• I´m Leavin' Today - Demeter, Narrators
• Just a Dream - Hades
• The People - Zeus, Narrators, Hermes
• Stay by Your Side - Aphrodite

Act Two

• Baby Girl - Demeter
• Hey Brother Reprise - Zeus
• Must Have Been the Wind - Persephone, Hades
• Man I Knew Before - Persephone, Hades, Hera, Zeus
• Drifting - Hades, Narrators
• Call me a Fool - Persephone
• Leave Them Wanting More - Aphrodite
• For a Moment - Hera, Narrators
• Last Days of Spring - Persephone, Narrators
• Finale - Ensemble

Original cast[edit]

Sources^[14]

• Persephone - Bethan Draycott
• Hades - Peter Todd
• Zeus - Lorcan Cudlip-Cook
• Hera - Maggie Moriarty (Playhouse), Rachel Smyth (National Tour)
• Demeter - Maddie Hall (Playhouse), Emma Starbuck (National Tour)
• Aphrodite - Abi Watkinson
• Hermes - Franco Lopez
• Narrators - Jak Spencer, Eleanor Dunlop, Phoebe Tealby-Watson (Playhouse), Gillian Konko (National Tour), Ellie Tutt (National Tour)

Award nominations[edit]

For its run at the Courtyard Theatre, Persephone was nominated for several BroadwayWorld UK/West End Awards including:^[15]

• Best New Production of a Musical
• Best Leading Performer in a New Production of a Musical - Bethan Draycott (Persephone) and Peter Todd (Hades)
• Best Supporting Performer in a New Production of a Musical - Rachel Smyth (Hera) and Abi Watkinson (Aphrodite)
• Best Direction of a New Production of a Musical - Emma Hawkins
• Best Musical Direction of a New Production of a Musical- Carrie Penn
• Best Set Design of a Play or Musical - Alice Penrose

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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