The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical
Directed and Choreographed by Lizzi Gee
Book by Joe Tracz
Music and Lyrics byRob Rokicki
Adapted from the book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Curve, Leicester
Tuesday 17th – Saturday 21st March 2026
Percy Jackson is a literary phenomenon, beloved by teenagers and adults alike. It is estimated that the first five books in Rick Riordan’s series have sold over 100 million copies alone. (Source – WordRated) Is it any wonder that one day they would make it on to the stage? Adapted by Joe Tracz, with Music and Lyrics by Rob Rokicki, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is fresh from a record-breaking run in London and ready to be unleashed at Curve.
My guest for the evening has read all the books, so I am intrigued to see how the two media compare. Can the musical live up to the written form, bearing in mind that there have already been both film and television adaptations?
The audience is overflowing with youngsters tonight, so there is clearly an appetite from fans of the books. Given the incredible Set Design by Ryan Dawson Laight, I have a feeling that they are not going to be disappointed. Neither am I. This is a musical that mixes magic, mythology, and mysticism to fantastical effect.
The set has been built to resemble an underground world filled with water pipes, moveable platforms, and industrial-style lighting. At the centre is what appears to be a giant eye, all very Orwellian and reminding us that the Greek gods keenly observe the happenings of the mortals and the half-bloods.
Percy Jackson is one such half-blood. He’s a New York teenager, struggling at school, trying to find his place in the world with the added complication that he is the son of a Greek god. At the start, he’s been thrown out of ‘five schools in six years’ and events deteriorate further when on a school trip his maths teacher changes into a monstrous Fury and begins to attack him.
From the moment Vasco Emauz (Percy) launches into ‘The Day I got Expelled,’ I know we are in for a gift of a performance. His singing voice is impeccable; strong and resonant enough to carry you along even if you don’t know the song. I find myself singing along in my head, always a good sign that the music and lyrics have landed.
The pop-rock flavour of the score, referencing early 2000’s bands, perfectly suits the angsty teenager vibe and themes. If you are unfamiliar with the source material, the songs explain the complicated plot in a fun and accessible way.
Emauz is given able support by his fellow half-bloods Annabeth (Kayna Montecillo) and Grover (Caher O’Neill) as they embark on a quest to save the world. No small feat for a trio of insecure and self-confessed ‘screw-ups.’
Along the way, we meet satyrs, minotaurs and centaurs galore as Percy and his friends make their way to Hades (Los Angeles). Lighting, sound, and video augment that odyssey with some surprising and deft touches. Wherever you focus your attention, there is something interesting to see, hear or that you want to touch.
My own Percy Jackson expert tells me that the musical follows the plot of the books more faithfully than the films and is therefore more successful. He also felt that ‘the prevailing message about parentage and abandonment definitely comes across alongside the importance of making your own choices and not being defined by your parents.’ In his opinion, Percy is ‘a likeable character who has flaws which makes him a much more interesting character to follow.’
This is a fast-paced, fun, and often frenetic production that clearly pleases its target audience. At the end, they are all on their feet, spilling out of the theatre with huge smiles on their faces already keenly dissecting what they have just seen. Theatre should be for everybody, and I take great delight in seeing so many young people having a night that they will remember long after the spotlights have faded.
Age guidance: 8+
Running time: 2 hours and 10 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
Show warnings: This production contains strobe and flashing lighting, loud and sudden noises, smoke effects, and mild threats.
Photos: Mark Senior
