Karou

Feeling a lot of feelings about how Hadestown doesn't present the story as "Orpheus turned around and everything fell apart and there was nothing anyone could do to fix it" and instead presents a story that says "he turned around, he doubted, he failed, but if we keep telling his story maybe one day Orpheus won't" and it's not just about Orpheus as a single character, it's a bout every Orpheus, everyone who runs up against a system they can't change and fails and everyone who sees that failure and gets back up and says "maybe I can change it now" and tries again. That Orpheus failed isn't the takeaway of the story. The takeaway is that one day he might succeed.

orpheus saying "to the world we dream about" and then turning and raising his cup to the audience when he says "and the one we live in now." fourth wall break of all time. reminding the audience that this story isn't just about hadestown, but is also about our world. stepping back into reality, just for a brief moment, to acknowledge both the joy and pain of living in that world. it is so deeply compassionate and real and it breaks my heart every time.