Performance: 21 June 2025 @ 2.30pm – this post may contain spoilers.
Hercules is electrifying the Westend at Theatre Royal Drury Lane this summer with high energy songs and an entertaining cast. The Greek gods have entered the stage with a version of the beloved Disney’s Hercules (1997). For anyone who isn’t familiar with the Disney classic Hercules the story follows Zeus and Hera’s son, Hercules, who was snatched as a baby by his uncle, Hades and turned mortal in the hope to kill him. In order to prove himself worthy of the gods, Hercules must complete rites of passage on earth. I will say that this version on the stage doesn’t quite follow all the plot points featured in the film, but does still stay true to the general story of Hades, Meg and proving his worth to the gods. At times the plot felt to be a little thin and lacking context in between the songs and the dancing and the dazzling sets. It was as if major scenes were cut out or the build up before the big battle between Zeus and Hades was lost. This is was partly due to the fact that the original motivations or events were changed, which made the plot a little weak.
Before the show began, I enjoyed the little details of the no recording signs saying “hades is watching you” or “no mortal phones beyond this point” that adds another layer of detail to help the audience settle into the fun tone of the performance.
Right from the start the muses draw the audience into the story with an explosion of song and sparkly costumes, the muses were very strong vocally and are a close representation to the original. As with any Disney musical adapted for the stage, there are expectations with high energy, showy songs and bright costumes and Hercules is no exception in terms of energy. The staging and the transitions between scenes and songs were exceptional and elements like battling the hydra and the vortex of souls in the underworld was very well executed. These scene played on the audience’s ability to use their imagination without too much reliance on over the top production by blending props like monsters and physical sets, like the cave, to create immersive storytelling. I did feel at points the show was on a tightrope of falling into a panto with some actors taking their roles as a serious production and others bordering on a panto humour and silliness. In all honesty, I don’t have a problem with this but the tone felt a little off with these two opposing forces. Stephen Carlile’s Hades was very good at portraying a dramatic, flamboyant and almost a petulant child of a god rather than dripping in cold calculating sarcasm that fans of the film are familiar with. This did feel a little panto in places, but I enjoyed his stage presence and his scenes as the villain were very entertaining. Mae Ann Jorolan’s Meg was also very good leaning into her feminist and sarcastic character with a level of maturity and very strong vocals. However, Luke Brady’s Hercules wasn’t as strong as I would have liked, I didn’t really connect with his version of the character or root for Hercules’s success. Was it a true adaption of Hercules? No, but it was fun to watch but wasn’t quite hitting the mark in terms of quality. Especially as Frozen had previously commanded the stage at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and the difference between the two is noticeable. That being said, I enjoyed the show, the actors gave it their all and the sets really transported the audience between scenes in a smooth and clever way.
Hercules is a fun and entertaining show with a run time of 2 hours including an interval. A strong stage presence with really great sets and actors that bring the energy. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a family friendly, fun and light hearted show.
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Amy is a writer and reviewer and is currently working on a YA fantasy novel. For more content click here to read book reviews, short stories and updates on Amy’s writing journey.
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