The Lightening Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical at Birmingham Hippodrome Review
Written by Katie for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
With music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki and a book by Joe Tracz, this high-energy adaptation is based on the 2005 novel by Rick Riordan. After starting life Off-Broadway, transferring to Broadway in 2019, and then landing at The Other Palace in 2024, the show now tours the UK, and it’s easy to see why it’s found such a devoted audience.
The musical follows the story of the first book in the series; troubled 16 year old Percy discovers he is a half-blood (the son of a Greek god) and is thrown into a world of monsters, myths, and destiny. After being accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt, Percy is sent on a quest across America to prevent a war between the gods, all whilst trying to figure out who he is and where he belongs.
One of the show’s biggest strengths is its confident musical identity. The score knows exactly what it is. Think early-2000s pop rock, with echoes of Rent (the musical), Paramore and Fall Out Boy, plus a dash of Dear Evan Hansen for good measure. It’s nostalgic in a way that works brilliantly for a story about outsiders trying to find their people.
Director and choreographer Lizzi Gee makes her directorial debut here, and you can really feel her choreographic strengths throughout. The movement is fluid and playful, with particularly lovely ensemble work that adds texture and energy without feeling messy. Ryan Dawson Laight’s set design is also a highlight: a clever, climbable playground that lets the cast jump, scramble, and interact with the world physically. The use of projections adds a nice layer of magic, and overall the show is visually exciting, with some genuinely lovely effects.
By the end of Act One, the quest hasn’t even begun, and what I loved was that it allowed the show to lean into the emotional arc that could so easily get lost in musical theatre cheesiness. Percy has lost his mum, never known his dad, and just found out he’s a demigod- he deserves a minute to process that! Giving the story space to breathe makes the emotional beats land much harder.
In the title role, Vasco Emauz is outstanding. His rendition of ‘Good Kid’ is especially moving, bringing a tenderness and vulnerability that makes Percy’s loneliness feel painfully real. Kayna Montecillo doesn’t miss a beat as Annabeth. She’s a true triple threat, with stunning vocals and a beautifully balletic physicality that gives her real presence in the battle scenes. Cahir O’Neill is a warm, nervy Grover, grounding the show with compassion and gentle humour.
A special shout-out goes to Paolo Micallef as Luke. This marks his debut in a major UK tour after being cast through an open audition, and he’s seriously impressive. Smooth vocals, strong presence, and real leading-man energy. He wouldn’t be out of place playing Jack Kelly in Newsies. In fact, much of the cast are early in their careers, with only a handful of credits between them, which makes how tight and confident the ensemble feels even more impressive.
That said, not all of the casting and creative choices landed for me. The direction of Ellie-Grace Cousins as Clarisse felt off. As the daughter of the god of war, you expect tough, earthy, and intimidating. Instead, it leaned more ‘Sharpay Evans’ from High School Musical than fearsome warrior and felt at odds with the whole point of her character.
Dionysus (Mr D) is played by Danny Beard, and the character has been fully dragged up to suit their well known persona. This will probably divide audiences, especially those familiar with the toned-down Broadway and West End versions. Personally, I enjoyed it. It brought much-needed light relief to a pretty moody show, and Danny’s vocals absolutely back up the choice. The only issue was how visually jarring it was: neon hair and sparkly suits against a backdrop of greys, browns, and denim meant Mr D was constantly pulling focus, even when they weren’t meant to be centre stage.
There were also a few moments of shrill vocal outbursts that could have been toned down. And my biggest gripe: the gods themselves. Hades, Poseidon, and Ares are meant to be powerful, awe-inspiring beings - instead, we got Hawaiian shirts, silver jackets, and a lot of thrusting. It felt like a missed opportunity to make their long-awaited appearances truly impactful.
The monsters were hit and miss too. The Minotaur, with its massive puppetry, was genuinely brilliant, but the Fury and Medusa’s head were underwhelming by comparison. It felt like the production couldn’t quite decide whether to go all-in on spectacle or hold back, and that inconsistency showed.
Overall, though, this is a really enjoyable, empowering show with a strong emotional core and a cast who give it everything. It’s full of heart, angst, and youthful fire - I just wish the production had pushed that bit further with the gods and monsters to match the scale of the story being told.
That said, it’s still a fantastic family show and one I’d wholeheartedly recommend catching while it’s on tour. It’s accessible, funny, heartfelt, and visually exciting - the kind of production that works just as well for long-time fans of the books as it does for newcomers. Just be quick: the tour wraps up in Leicester on 21st March, so this is your last chance to jump aboard the quest before it disappears from the UK stage.
★★★★