Nicola Roberts Joins Hadestown as Persephone in London’s West End

Girls Aloud Star Set for Limited Run at the Lyric Theatre

Nicola Roberts, singer and founding member of the BRIT Award-winning pop group Girls Aloud, will join the West End cast of Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre in London. Roberts will take on the role of Persephone from 16 September 2025 to 18 January 2026.

The announcement marks a major return to the West End stage for Roberts, who made her debut in City of Angels in 2020. Her casting brings a fresh pop presence to the award-winning musical, which continues to captivate audiences with its powerful retelling of ancient myth.

“I’m beyond thrilled,” said Roberts. “The role of Persephone has such depth and complexity—she feels light and sorrow, joy and darkness. Her songs are rich with emotion and an absolute joy to sing. I can’t wait to explore every facet of her character on stage.”

A Star-Studded Cast

Roberts joins a critically acclaimed cast that includes:

• Desmonda Cathabel as Eurydice

• Dylan Wood as Orpheus

• Chris Jarman as Hades

• Cedric Neal as Hermes

The Fates are played by Melanie Bright, Allie Daniel, and Lauran Rae, with a vibrant ensemble of performers bringing the Workers Chorus to life.

About Hadestown

Blending American folk, blues, pop, and New Orleans jazz, Hadestown is a genre-defying musical by Anaïs Mitchell, developed with Tony Award-winning director Rachel Chavkin. It intertwines the mythic tales of Orpheus and Eurydiceand Hades and Persephone into a resonant, hopeful journey to the underworld and back.

The creative team also includes:

• Choreography: David Neumann

• Set Design: Rachel Hauck

• Costume Design: Michael Krass

• Lighting: Bradley King

• Sound: Nevin Steinberg & Jessica Paz

• Orchestrations: Michael Chorney & Todd Sickafoose

Nicola Roberts: Pop Icon Turned Theatregoer Favourite

First rising to fame in 2002 via Popstars: The Rivals, Roberts became one-fifth of Girls Aloud, achieving 20 consecutive UK Top 10 singles. She later released her solo album Cinderella’s Eyes to critical acclaim and won ITV’s The Masked Singer UK in 2020.

Earlier this year, she reunited with Cheryl, Kimberley Walsh, and Nadine Coyle for The Girls Aloud Show, a sold-out 30-date arena tour across the UK and Ireland that celebrated their music and the legacy of the late Sarah Harding.

Roberts is also known for her activism, including work on legislation banning underage tanning beds and campaigns supporting Barnardo’s and breast cancer awareness through the Sarah Harding Appeal.

This new casting brings fresh energy to Hadestown’s West End run. With Roberts’ distinct voice and stage presence, her portrayal of Persephone promises to be one of the theatrical highlights of the season.