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The Lightning Thief

 
Katerina Partolina Schwartz Review by Katerina Partolina Schwartz 2 Published: 18 Dec 2024 The Other Palace Show Dates: 23 Nov 2024-2 Mar 2025

When the historically worst ever book-to-film adaptations for Percy Jackson are your frame of reference (so bad they were disavowed by the author) the bar is set very low. Joe Tracz and Rob Rokicki’s The Lightning Thief is better than the films, but that's not saying much.

Better than the films, but that's not saying much

Based on the book by Rick Riordan and with direction and choreography by Lizzi Gee, this show centres on the demigod, Percy Jackson (Max Harwood), and how he might retrieve Zeus’ stolen master bolt and prevent a war breaking out between the gods. It brings in elements of the later series with off-the-cuff references to jokes, events and Greek mythology, often leading to vast bouts of exposition and stilted dialogue.

The musical suffers from an indecisiveness of tone, often employing comedic techniques to poke fun at itself and that it’s a theatre production, that doesn’t always match the gravity of some moments. This creates a messy and careless dichotomy that suggest the actors have been given opposite sets of direction.

The show requires multiple tracks that are physically and vocally intensive, including choreographed fight scenes, occasionally whilst belting at the top of their range. Some, including Harwood, struggle to reach notes and often miss them. His delivery is monotonous, often with a blank expression and no variation in tone or intonation making reactions to a given scene or piece of dialogue disappointing and lacklustre in failing to live up to the character. However, his sleight of hand in producing Riptide is fundamentally impressive and is unarguably a very cool moment.

As fan-service, The Lightning Thief is incredibly successful. As a theatre experience, encountering one of the many monsters in this musical would be a hell of a lot better and more enjoyable.

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The Blurb:

When New York City teenager Percy Jackson discovers that he is the half-blood son of the Greek god, Poseidon, his life takes a dramatic turn as he is plunged into a world much bigger than he could possibly have imagined.

With newly discovered powers he is unable to control, an unwanted destiny and a whole textbook’s worth of mythical monsters on his trail, Percy must learn what it means to be a hero.

The future of the world hangs in the balance as Percy and his friends embark on an epic adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat.

Adapted from Rick Riordan’s best-selling novel by Joe Tracz, writer of Be More Chill, and with an electrifying rock score by Rob Rokicki, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is the perfect adventure for gods and mortals alike.

The tide is turning…book your tickets today.