*This post contains spoilers* Performance date: 12 January 2025 @ 1.30 pm
Let the cast of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical take you on an adventure where you don’t have to be a Demi-God to enjoy. Adapted from the bestselling novel Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan that follows a young boy who discovers he’s the son of Greek-God Poseidon and must go on a quest to become a hero and save the world from an apocalyptic war between the Greek Gods. I really relate to Percy’s character as he is written to suffer with dyslexia and so do I – does this mean I am also a Demi-god? Maybe? One can only dream.
The Other Palace is a small theatre with a small stage but is perfect for creating an intimate venue and immersive atmosphere where the audience is up close and personal with the action on the stage. From the moment the cast entered the stage it was high energy and fast moving. There wasn’t a moment that I was bored or smiling ear to ear. Adapting books to stage is always, I think, tricky, especially when a book and its characters are so well – loved and established. There are always expectations that need to be met for fans of the book to be satisfied with the portrayal of classic scenes and plot points. This adaption perfectly blended the iconic scenes of the book with the limitations of stage. I particularly liked the beginning scene where Percy is fighting Mrs Dodds in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and his pen suddenly becomes a sword – real stage magic. I wasn’t sure how the prop makers would make this work and it was such a fun element that made me smile. The way that the cast were able to use objects to create illusions was fantastic, such as the Minator that chases Percy, Sally and Grover to Camp Half-Blood. The boxes and crates used as props on stage transform into the beast with help of broad steps in the choreography. The way that movement and a few pieces of set are used is enough to give the illusion of danger or violence. This use of props and songs are cleverly used to signify a transition between large gaps in time or to skip through several scenes or locations when Percy, Annabeth and Grover are journey to Los Angeles. The songs are so upbeat and catchy that the pace never lulls throughout the performance. I also loved the use of lighting and sound, even from the moment I walked into the theatre, the audio of lightning crackling created this immersive atmosphere. Given the stage’s close proximity to the front row, I was very glad to be seated further back as there were occasions where foam fell from the ceiling onto those unfortunate to be in what I refer to as the splash zone. The use of sound and light to depict change in location from the beach to Percy controlling the waves with his fight with Ares was also effective.
This adaption captured the heart and essence of Rick Riordan’s novel and the actors did a very good job at embodying the quirks and personality of each character. I particularly liked Jessica Lee’s depiction of Annabeth and she commanded every scene as a main character and in the background. I liked her interactions with Max Harwood’s Percy. The cast was fantastic, especially the members that played multiple roles such as Joe Allen, who brought so much humour to his various roles and I loved his version of Mr D in his all pink costume and visor, which was the epitome of cheerfulness that clashed with is grumpy and sarcastic character. I also loved Greg Barnett’s depiction of Hades as this rock star in the under world.
Overall, every element of the show was so well thought out and so much fun to watch with an up-lifting tone. Perfect from start to finish. A real surprise that despite the small stage and theatre how much the show packed a punch. Small and simple staging, but very effective. This is a must-see for fans of Greek Mythology and Percy Jackson. An adventure with a current that will leave viewers wanting more!
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Amy is a writer and reviewer and is currently querying literary agents with her debut fantasy novel inspired by the magic and adventure of Pirates of the Caribbean. For more content click here to read book reviews, short stories and updates on Amy’s writing journey.
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