Award-winning musical brings a playful mythology to Coventry

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief delivers a dose of myth and mayhem at the Belgrade Theatre



The stage version of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief brought a lively dose mayhem and mythology to the Belgrade Theatre this week, wowing a packed audience with a mix of humour, warmth, insanely catchy songs and high-energy performances.

Based on the bestselling novel by Rick Riordan, the show follows persistently expelled Percy, a demigod son of Poseidon, whose life takes on a dramatic turn resulting in him embarking on a quest to prevent a war among the gods.

The Percy Jackson franchise has become something of a phenomenon, it's books becoming A-lister filled Hollywood blockbusters, TV series and now stage musical.

It’s an ambitious story to tell on stage, but the production team uses the minimum staging to the maximum, taking in classrooms, forests, a greyhound bus and even the underworld along the way - a scary scene with a minotaur is particularly inspired.

The cast – made up of some incredibly talented singers – embrace the material with a genuinely infectious enthusiasm. While a few of the lyrics veer towards the contrived to fit the story, bordering on the ridiculous at times, the production leans into this. Rather than undermining, the tongue-in-cheek delivery adds to the charm, making the production one that doesn't take itself too seriously.

At two hours and ten minutes, with a 20 minute interval, the production whizzes by, a laugh or hook-filled number always only a moment away. It has a warmth that makes it easy watching, with enough daftness to keep younger watchers happy, to complement jokes they won't get for the parents.

Special mentions for Aidan Cutler as Mr D, whose disdain for Percy and his demigod pals is delightfully spiteful, and Simone Robinson who sparkles in a joint role covering Sally Jackson, Medusa and the effortlessly cool Charon. It's also worth pointing out the backing band, playing the music semi-hidden above the stage, were also outstanding.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/whats-on/theatre-news/award-winning-musical-brings-playful-32690702