Rick Riordan's hit Percy Jackson series takes to the stage at the Birmingham Hippodrome this week. The story of a troubled teen who discovers he's the son of a Greek God, The Lightning Thief follows Percy’s journey as he discovers that life is not as it seems, and has to confront his fate - meeting a cast of colourful characters from Greek mythology along the way.

Percy (Vasco Emauz) - or Perseus to give him his full name - has been repeatedly expelled from school, struggling with ADD and Dyslexia. His mother Sally (Simone Robinson) has hidden a secret from him - the Gods, monsters and myths of Greek Mythology are real, and Percy himself is a Demigod. He finds himself in Camp Half Blood with new friends Annabeth (Kayna Montecillo), the daughter of Athena, and satyr Grover (Cahir O’Neill). Adventures ensue, as fearsome monsters try to hamper Percy’s quest.

The production has plenty of action sequences and dramatic moments - thanks to the combined direction and choreography by Lizzi Gee, the movement sequences are particularly eye-catching. The play follows major plot lines from the first book in Riordan’s Camp Half-Blood Chronicles - although die hard fans will notice that parts of the story have been cut for time, or added for flavour.

The biggest change from the novel is, of course, that The Lightning Thief is a musical, featuring quickfire songs and a live band, under the Musical Direction of Will Joy. The soundtrack is catchy and original, with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki - ranging from heartfelt solo moments to tongue-in-cheek lyrics worthy of Percy’s quick-witted quips (“Yeah, the Gods are real, and they have kids, and those kids have issues…”). 

The whole cast have solo moments in the spotlight - with special mention to Ellia-Grace Cousins, who has a memorable number as the bloodthirsty daughter of Ares, and Danny Beard as Mr D, who sings grumpily about hating children in an outrageously shoulder-padded and sequined suit. However, the three leads (Emauz, Montecillo and O’Neill) carry the production with top-notch vocal performances - all the more impressive given that the three actors have only a handful of previous credits under their collective belt. 

The Lightning Thief is a lighthearted and delightfully camp romp, which brings the magic of Percy Jackson’s world to life - with the help of Illusionist Richard Pinner. Riordan’s books have been around since 2005, and remain a hit with young readers, so whether you are taking a trip down memory lane, or perhaps introducing a young fan to their first stage musical, The Percy Jackson Musical should be a real treat. 

Four Stars

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical was reviewed by Jessica Clixby on Tuesday 24 February at Birmingham Hippodrome, where it shows until Saturday 28 February