Review – The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical – Theatre Royal Brighton 

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is a stage adaptation of Rick Riordan’s novel about Percy Jackson, a teenager who discovers he is the son of Poseidon. The show tries to mix humour, adventure, and music while staying close to the book’s storyline. The result is an experience that has its moments but never fully rises above average. 

The plot follows Percy as he learns about his demigod heritage, arrives at Camp Half-Blood, and goes on a quest with his friends Annabeth and Grover to recover Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. Fans of the book will recognize the familiar themes, and the musical keeps the main storyline intact. While this makes the show faithful to the source, it also means the pacing feels cramped at times. Some scenes feel rushed, while others could have used more depth to develop characters or themes. 

The music has some enjoyable parts, and songs like “The Campfire Song” and “Drive” are energetic, stand out and give the show some personality. However, many of the other songs are less memorable. The lyrics occasionally fall back on obvious rhymes, and some tunes feel interchangeable. The pop-rock style fits the modern tone of the story, but at times the band’s volume makes it hard to catch all the words. The score is pleasant enough in the moment but doesn’t linger long afterwards. 

The performances are enthusiastic, if a little uneven. Percy (Vasco Emauz) comes across with the right mix of bravado and insecurity, which works well. Annabeth (Kayna Montecillo) is portrayed as tough and clever, though her character could use more shading beyond those traits, and Grover (Cahir O’Neill) provides comic relief which, while it helps balance the tone, does not always land well with the audience. The rest of the cast brings energy to the stage, but emotional scenes often lack the weight they need to feel truly moving. 

The humour throughout the musical is mixed. Some jokes about mythology and teenage life are genuinely funny, while others feel forced or fall flat. The tone shifts between comedy and drama, and while this variety adds energy, it can feel uneven. 

The staging is simple, and somewhat creative, but also limited. Instead of elaborate sets or big effects, the production relies on minimal props and symbolic choices to represent monsters, battles, and magical settings. This stripped-down approach highlights the performers, but it also underscores the modest scale of the show. Audiences expecting a large, spectacle-driven production may be disappointed, while those open to a more imaginative, low-budget style might find it charming. 

Overall, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is neither a standout success nor a major failure. It offers enough energy and charm to entertain, especially for fans of the books, but it struggles to leave a lasting impression. The music has a few highlights, the acting is lively but not always nuanced, and the staging is more modest than memorable. In the end, the show captures pieces of the Percy Jackson world but never fully delivers on its epic promise. 

*** Three Stars