When the lights go down and the first notes of the overture begin, a crackle of excitement ripples through the audience at The Other Palace in London. On stage, a new kind of hero is about to be born – one who battles both mythical monsters and the everyday struggles of being a modern teenager. This is the world of The Lightning Thief, a charmingly quirky musical adaptation of the bestselling novel by Rick Riordan.
A Demigod is Born
Our unlikely protagonist is Percy Jackson, a restless 16-year-old who has always felt like an outsider. Played with relatable angst and rebel spirit by Max Harwood, Percy soon discovers the shocking truth behind his dyslexia and ADHD: he is actually a demigod, the son of Poseidon, god of the sea. As the other shoe drops, Percy is whisked away to a secret camp for the half-blood children of Greek gods, where he must harness his newfound powers and embark on a quest to retrieve Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt.
Riordan’s Percy Jackson series has become a global phenomenon since the first book was published in 2005, spawning multiple sequels, two Hollywood films, and an upcoming Disney+ adaptation. But The Lightning Thief musical wisely avoids trying to match that epic scale, instead leaning into a quirky off-Broadway spirit that fits the story like a glove.
Mythical Misfits
Book writer Joe Tracz infuses the show with both wit and heart, emphasizing the relatable human struggles amidst the mythical hijinks. At its core, this is a story about feeling out of place, wrestling with identity, and learning to embrace your unique strengths – themes that resonate far beyond the demigod camp experience.
“Things couldn’t be worse when your parents run the universe,” the angsty teen demigods lament in song, with an eye roll that will feel very familiar to mortal parents in the audience.
Percy’s motley crew of mythical misfits are all vividly brought to life by a talented young cast. Satyr sidekick Grover, played by a lovably nerdy Scott Folan, grounds Percy even as the world turns upside down around them. And Paisley Billings nearly steals the show as a sassy, selfie-snapping Medusa in one of the musical’s comedic high points.
Creativity Over Spectacle
Rather than blowing the budget on flashy sets and effects, The Lightning Thief leans into its homespun charm, using simple but clever staging to conjure mythical realms. Toy swords and staffs become mighty weapons in the hands of our imaginative heroes. And Ryan Dawson Laight’s minimalist set transforms ancient Greece to modern-day America with fluid ease thanks to well-deployed projections by Duncan McLean.
Some of the pop culture references threaded throughout – like Poseidon reimagined as a laid-back surfer dude – may fly over younger heads while delighting the parents. But there are plenty of timeless gags and physical comedy to keep all ages engaged, especially once the heroes descend into the underworld, here cheekily situated in Los Angeles.
A Heroic Score
Composer Rob Rokicki’s score is as restless and rambunctious as its adolescent heroes, ping-ponging from pop rock to hip-hop and musical theater balladry. The lyrics are sharp and smart, adding dimension to the characters and propelling the action forward. Standout numbers like the wry “Another Terrible Day” capture the sardonic humor of Riordan’s writing, while others like “The Weirdest Dream” take us inside Percy’s whirring, overwhelmed head.
Director Lizzi Gee keeps the pace brisk and the energy high, with impressively athletic choreography that fills the stage. The dance vocabulary draws from hip-hop, breakdancing, and acrobatics in fresh, exciting ways. Even if a few plot points feel a bit rushed by the musical’s end, the cast’s exuberance and commitment to the storytelling never falters.
An Epic Quest in Miniature
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about The Lightning Thief is how it distills the spirit and scope of a sprawling modern epic into an intimate, human-scale adventure. By trusting the audience to use their imaginations, this enchanting musical gives us permission to reconnect with our inner tween hero – that part of us that once dreamed of magic and mythical quests.
In doing so, The Lightning Thief also honors the enduring power of Riordan’s storytelling and characters. Beyond the swordfights and special effects, at the heart of this tale is an endearingly flawed hero grappling with destiny, identity, and the often Herculean trials of growing up. That’s an odyssey that never gets old, and this joyful musical proves you don’t need to be a demigod to relate.
