Created by Jeff Gladstone. Directed by Ryan Gladstone. Produced by Kristina Lemieux. At the Cultch Historic Theatre on May 22 as part of the rEvolver Festival. No remaining performances

They sure know how to party in the Underworld.

Hell of a Girl is loosely—very loosely—based on the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, in which the gifted musician charms the gods into letting him retrieve his dead wife from hell, only to lose her again when he can’t resist the urge to look back. Here, creator Jeff Gladstone plays Orpheus—“my parents aren’t Greek or ancient; they’re from Salt Spring”—and he uses the story as a spacious container to showcase a terrific collection of songs.

With leads like John Murphy, Tallulah Winkelman, and Emma Slipp—no shrinking violets here—the show has star power to burn. Murphy gleefully hams up Hades with his big, booming voice and penetrating stare, while Winkelman’s Persephone finds ever-new ways to flip him the finger. Slipp gives Eurydice an earthy sensuality; her stage presence is electrifying, and she can sing up a storm.

Gladstone knows how to make a song theatrical, from the country-inflected “Weatherman” to the introspective piano ballad, “Two Birds”, and his musical range touches on folk, jazz, and blues. The cast is rounded out by a chorus of white-faced, white-clad demons who provide crack musical backup, and everyone gets in on the action for numbers like “Love Is Chaos” , a soupy underworld fiesta in which bass player Sebastian Kroon channels the voice of Tom Waits. Drummer Todd Biffard and demonette Claire Love Wilson are also standouts in this group.

Gladstone’s lyrics are often as memorable as his melodies. He tucks in allusive wit (“I’d swim to Cambodia or Laos/Cuz baby, our love is chaos”), surprising twists ( (“Hope you’re happy, hope you’re swell, hope you’re on crystal meth”) and satisfyingly unadorned metaphors (“Your love is a hammer/My heart is a nail”).

Director Ryan Gladstone makes excellent use of the large cast, creating memorable stage pictures with simple devices like flashlights. The pacing could be crisper, especially in the early going, but this is still a party you’d want to be invited to—even if it might cost you your soul.