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Livin' it Up on Top | Hadestown Unedited Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2024-08-14 15:13:59
Imported:
2026-06
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Comments

Sammantha Lloyd

Persephone will always be my favorite character, she has a character arc in this show! 🥹Also, you ARE NOT ready for Hades.🤭

Nika

They're not dead, up top means in the land of the living, and Persephone just came back for what is supposed to be spring, but is actually summer, since spring hasn't really been coming around. The weather being nice again is because of her being up top, not because of Orpheus' song. This is the road to hell, but not hell.

Sammantha Lloyd

Also, they’re not in the underworld. Persephone has come from the underworld, back to the mortal world. This is all before Euridcye’s death btw. 🫠

Chris B.

They are not currently in the underworld, hence the "livin it up on top". The weather is better because Persephone is back. But as Hermes mentioned, now she's always late. And earlier Eurydice states that there's no spring or fall at all anymore, but it's always blazing hot or freezing cold. Because Persephone hasn't been able to stick to the schedule (hence the disparity you noticed when they said half of the year when it's supposed to be a third aka wintertime). Orpheus wants his song to bring everything back into sync.

Mortius
>>146537196

THE STATION IS ON THE MORTAL SIDE OF THE RAILROAD NOT THE HADES SIDE OF THE RAILROAD THAT MAKES SOOOO MUCH MORE SENSE

Chris B.

Also just an fyi, pretty much everything from the show is present on the album so you don't really miss any major dialogue or plot points which is really nice.

Lauren Groen

I really really hope this isn't a spoiler, but this is something that is obvious in the staging. And you did ask lol: I think you might be a bit confused, she's not down in the underworld, she just got back from the underworld. All of the songs so far have been in the main town (that has no name) which is the railway station on the "road to hell" so not in hell. We've been with the living, Persephone just got back up top, that's why everyone is excited. "Pour the Wine, it's summertime!"

Lauren Groen
>>146538076

Oh also, I think there might be some confusion with the "bring back spring" Eurydice talked about there being no spring or fall. Persephone is staying longer and longer in the underworld, so its a long winter and a short summer. So that's why times are hard in the world of men, they're excited Persephone is back because it's growing season, they get sun and food... But soon enough... Too soon... She'll be going away again and winter will be back. Orpheus is trying to bring back the in-between seasons of spring and fall so they have longer to eat and live well lol. I really hope I didn't give you too much. This is all stuff that has been referenced in the songs you have seen so far.

MJ

so my guesses are that yes there are two stories going at the same time but one story is telling about hades and persephone and then the the other half is talking about how ophius and eurdice met and how they are both love birds. and then later on it will met in the middle of both of the story. i hope that makes sense in a way

Doriima

My dude, they haven't got to the Underworld yet. Everything is overworld, the train has come FROM Hades.

Kerri Kortness

I would HIGHLY recommend checking out a live recording of Wait for Me. The way they use the stage is amazing and doesn't come across in the recordings.

liminalpsych

People have mentioned the hot/cold imbalanced weather stuff a lot—this musical was originally written around a theme of the climate crisis and climate change, and that still runs thickly through the final version, but other themes also came into it that you’ll encounter later. I first encountered this musical in early 2021 and wow was it thematically relevant. I listened to it on repeat for inspiration and comfort around sitting with and thriving through difficult, hopeless-feeling, futile-feeling circumstances. I won’t say more than that because anything else gets into spoiler territory but… it’s just…. So. So so relevant. And such a hopeful musical despite the “sad song” and tragedy. “It’s a sad song—it’s a tragedy—and we’re going to sing it anyway,” as Hermes said in the very first song.

liminalpsych
>>146545030

SECONDED. the staging is *incredible*. This is a show that is so worth seeing live. (I’ve had the privilege to see it once and I would absolutely see it multiple more times if given the chance.)

liminalpsych

Also something to keep in mind— Anaïs Mitchell, who wrote Hadestown, is a folk singer-songwriter. She originally conceptualized Hadestown as a “folk opera”. The music isn’t complex, it’s very much folk music: relatively simple, fairly singable, emotive, catchy, with repetition and call-response; I believe Anaïs primarily composes with an acoustic guitar. This is a *very* different kind of orchestration than Epic (J has a composition degree, orchestration background, more formal musical experience) or SIX (whose composers both have higher education in music theater) or Hamilton (Lin Manuel Miranda started writing musicals in friggin’ *high school* and then was heavily involved in the theater program in college, doing lots more musical theater). Think of it more like a folk album turned musical. Intimate, emotive, relational, informal.

Fire Lynn

I know qookh's animatics for Way Down Hadestown and Wait for me are possibly in the playlist but I do recommend for Way Down Hadestown to watch Miranda Pla's one. It's your choice, but yeah.

Macabrellian
>>146545030

God, yes. Rachel Chavkin's staging is impeccable. Between this and Great Comet, the woman is an absolute _genius._ I would love to be able to see this on Broadway with its full staging intact one day, but even being able to see it on tour a couple years ago was incredible.

Imara121
>>146537196

I have never seen the show myself but I have kind of been interpreting "We are on the road to hell" as a fancy way to say everyone dies.

Addy0302

Don't worry, it's a lot simpler than you're trying to make it. This is just Persephone coming back *from* the underworld.

Deb

The entire song: "We're livin' it UP ON TOP!" Mortius: "So they're in the Underworld?" I'm not saying this is your Wet Hades moment, but...😂

Anon E. Mouse

A bit of additional context for Hermes role in Greek mythology may help. In addition to being the messenger of the gods and protector of humans, he's a psychopomp. A psychopomp guides the souls of the dead to the afterlife. Who better to be the conductor at a railway station?

Anon E. Mouse

Also, this is all happening in the same timeline.

Cameron Taylor

It is a single timeline. The first couple songs are winter, with Persephone in the underworld and Hermes and co on the surface. Wedding Day shows Orpheus bringing a brief moment of springtime with his song. Livin It Up On Top has Persephone return from the underworld, months later than she used to, going straight from Winter to Summer (Eurydice sings ‘It’s either freezing cold or blazin hot,’) Instead of a third of the year in the Underword, like she used to, Persephone spends a full half of the year in the Underword, making spring and fall not really happening.

jayden_arsonew
>>146560567

i'll check that out! i checked it out and it uses the 'wrong' audio for this playlist, i do however have it in the alternate animatics playlist (if mortius decides to watch more after they're done)

jayden_arsonew
>>146545030

i currently have an incredible animatic for wait for me, however if someone finds a good stage recording feel free to send it to me via discord and i'll let mortius know if it's usable!

Tamara Morriss

Living on TOP. Top. top. 😂😂😂

Kitty

Just since no one's mentioned it: "There was a girl who had always run away," is about Eurydice, mostly because as she stated in "Any Way the Wind Blows" she runs from a place once the dark clouds start rolling in. She never stops moving, trying to survive hard times by running from them. Normally she would've moved on by now, but "in spite of herself," she decided to stay, for Orpheus. c:

phoinix

Everyone else mentioned the fact it's set in the overworld/earth, not the underworld, so I won't go over that again haha But I did want to say completely off topic I recommend you react to The Mad Ones, Bare: A Pop Opera and 36 Questions in the future if you find interest! They're really underrated musicals that are incredibly emotional and I feel like you would love them! They're honestly three of my favourites besides Epic

phoinix
>>146784248

Also not really an underrated one as such but I also recommend Anastasia the musical too (based on the animated movie of the same name although they did change some things), tiktok keeps reminding me of it and it still gives me chills

Colby Zimmermann
>>146560567

wait for me has a really good one by Foolscapper if that isn't already included in the main or alt playlist, caught me off guard how in-depth it was made

Colleen

In the live show it is very obvious when we are in the overworld vs underworld. I hadn't realized that with the animatics only it could be hard to distinguish. But everything up to this point has been in the overworld.

Bailey Schmidt

Living it up on top- Mortius: “clearly they’re in the underworld” 🤣

Fae

something small that isn’t really plot relevant but I love about the staging: when Orpheus has the lines “to the world we dream about,” he raises his glass to the people on stage. when he says “and to the one we live in now,” he shifts to be raising his glass to the audience. especially in the early songs, and mostly Hermes, they very much play directly to the audience- not true audience interaction, but the audience’s existence is very much acknowledged.

Bean of Glory

Amber Gray (Persephone)'s dancing onstage won her an award for 'Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show' - the way that she moves looks so earthy and fun, very full-hearted. If you can find any clips of her dancing in Livin It Up on Top or especially Way Down Hadestown, it's a treat :)

Bean of Glory
>>146537196

There with you. "This 'place' is the road to hell that we're all on together, all going the same way."

Bean of Glory

Re: your curiosity about that ominous moment at the end, you're not wrong to notice it, and the animator is taking some license that makes that part slightly murky. Onstage, it's a moment of "yay, to the world we dream about! ...but also, to the one we live in now (which is definitely not our dream)." It gets a little somber as that sinks in. But Persephone is here to have a good time & forget winter stress, so they do a lil foot stompy to get the party going again after Orpheus' slightly Too Real moment of reflection.

miriam kupfer

Everyone else has already explained the necessary info about it being a single timeline and all this being in the world of the living so far. Staging wise, what you've listened to so far all happens in one location - a bar-type environment. A few tables and chairs. Some place to go in to from the cold. A station on the road to hell. The band is on stage at the sides. Also, PLEASE watch the live performance of Wait For Me when you get up to it. It's a must.

Mikayla Prushik

I actually think gathering storm, epic 2, and then chant, should all be one video. They flow into each other incredibly

Lmb111514

No, Persephone is not in love with Orpheus- don't worry! With the animatics, fast lyrics, and constant mention of the 'road to hell', it's easy to get confused, but every song so far is happening in the overworld, they're just establishing the train/road to hell as the center of life right now, watching it leave with Persephone and waiting until she returns and Spring/Summer comes with her- none of them but Persephone/Hermes are on board the train(and without her, the reality of death is so near). This song also establishes that Persephone was spending more time in the Underworld each year than she was supposed to, hence why Hermes said she was late.

Beth Joy

Love the reactions! Please make sure you listen to the little inbetween songs; they give a lot of context. Before All I've Ever Known there is All I've Ever Known ("In Spite of Herself").

Kory Misun

Dear Mortius, don't worry, you are fine! These are my theories, because I'm going into this blind, just like you. Based on what we're hearing! When Persephone gets off the train and told she's late, it's because Hades is letting her go Up Top later and later, so the seasons are out of whack. Either blistering hot or freezing cold. The arrangement should be benefitting everyone equally, but something's off. Persephone's longing look at this young couple reminds her of what she and Hades used to have, when their love was strong and new. She wants that back, but something happened along the way, we'll just have to see!

JR Hill

So I haven't seen it in the comments, but Persephone is visibly drunk in this number even before she starts encouraging everyone to help celebrate her return. Pay attention to her delivery on any songs where she's got the lead.

Kristina (LadyGreensleeves33)

Lol. I think your main point of confusion is that you think this occurring after they're dead/in the Underworld. It's not. Hermes narrates the beggining in the past tense, but that's because he's the Aaron Burr of this story, if you will. He's the narrator telling it from the future but also existed in the narrative in the 'present' as the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice unfolds. 'The road to Hell' is in the land of the living - they are literally 'living it up on top' during this song, it's just an area very close to the 'train station' that's used to pass between worlds. So it's saying Persephone arrives back on the train FROM THE UNDERWORLD and Orpheus and Eurydice and Hermes are there at the celebration to greet her back as Summer returns with her. There's no shift in timeline. The crux of the issue is that because the entire cycle of seasons and growth of crops is based on Hades and Persephone's relationship - and her goings and comings from the Underworld being on time - the world is all out of flux because they're having marriage problems lol. Hades keeps delaying her return to the surface, making her spiteful, and the summer's shorter but hotter. She sees the parallels between Orpheus and Eurydice and what she and Hades used to have.

Henrik Lerdahl

They keep singing "on the road to hell", as in TO hell. Not "in hell". That means this isn't in the underworld. It's the land of the living. And summer is back because Persephone is back. That's why they're celebrating HER in this song. She just returned from the underworld to the land of the living. So the living are dancing and happy that it's summer again. No timeline weirdness. Hermes is just an omniscient narrator, so he knows what's going to happen. It's foreshadowing, not weird time jumps.

Magnus Taliesin
>>147483288

With the limited knowledge and the staging it's hard to tell, you're doing fine m8 XD And now you know!

Beauxe

They are on the surface my guy

SK Elkins
>>147512121

Seconded. They're really all one song. If you *have* to break them up, though, I'd say that Gathering Storm can survive on its own much better than Epic 2/Chant (which don't even have the slightest break in the music to distinguish them) can.

SK Elkins

HERMES: Once upon a time there was a railroad line Don't ask where, brother, don't ask when... MORTIUS: I just keeping trying to figure out when this is taking place... Look, it's happening in mythic time. It's an old song from long ago. We sing it again. Don't ask where, brother, don't ask when!

fluffqueen91

*makes grabby hands for more of this musical* I went to look at the track list, and I totally forgot how many songs there are, wow! I think someone's mentioned it, but Persephone was definitely already plastered even before she told everyone to break out the wine...that might've been a tad hard to convey in the animatic without just writing it off to the side though!

Lance Ivy

living it up on top ...on top .....on top ...is this the underwold

Faeri

For a little context every mythical place in this musical has a "real world" counterpart that is reflected in the staging. These locations draw inspiration from the reconstruction and industrialization era of US history. The music also draws from country, jazz, and gospel that all got its start in the folk music of this era. This part of the musical takes place in the overworld which is styled as a railway town bar/saloon that Hermes is the proprietor of and Orpheus works in. Eurydice comes in seeking shelter from the wind (Any Way the Wind Blows), the Fates are drinking at the bar, and the other bar patrons are the backing chorus and dancers. The band is on stage with the cast and is styled as a jazz bar band. When Persephone enters she is coming off the train that just arrived from Hadestown. I don't want to spoil anything for you so I'll wait until you've gotten further into the musical to say anything about other locations.

Seiryunohoushi

Oh my gosh... Mortius, please. They keep saying "Road to Hell". It's literal. They're literally in the overworld on the path that leads to the underworld. The train takes Persephone to the underworld and she's making a stop in a town that's on the way where Orpheus lives.