The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical has stormed into Stoke’s Regent Theatre this week, bringing with it a high-octane, vocally vibrant retelling of Rick Riordan’s bestselling novel. For those unfamiliar with the tale, the story follows Percy Jackson—a seemingly average New York teen who discovers he’s the demigod son of Poseidon. When Zeus’s lightning bolt goes missing, Percy is thrust into a mythological quest that will determine the fate of the world. Alongside his loyal friends—Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Grover, a satyr and his appointed protector—Percy must battle gods, monsters, and the weight of his own destiny, all while navigating the emotional turmoil of adolescence and identity.
This UK touring production arrives after a rich international history. First premiering off-Broadway in 2014, The Lightning Thief grew into a cult hit across the U.S. with multiple tours and a limited 2019 Broadway run. A UK audience first got a taste of the show in the West End at The Other Palace, where it developed a strong following thanks to its raw energy and heart. The current tour, produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd and Paul Taylor-Mills, introduces a new cast and creative team to a well-loved story, marking the first full UK tour of the show.
At the heart of this production is Vasco Emauz as Percy—a tour-de-force performance in both stamina and vocal strength. Rarely off stage, Emauz delivers with impressive range, particularly in emotionally charged numbers like Good Kid, managing to balance bravado with vulnerability. His voice soars in every number, providing a solid emotional anchor for the entire production.
Kayna Montecillo as Annabeth and Cahir O’Neill as Grover both offer grounded, genuine performances, though the show frustratingly sidelines them for much of the story. Montecillo brings poise and intelligence to her role, while O’Neill injects warmth and subtle humour. You get the sense that both actors have more to give, were they afforded more character development and stage time.
A standout element of the production is its supporting cast. Niall Sheehy, Ellie-Grace Cousins, Aidan Cutler, and Simone Robinson are the unsung heroes of the show—constantly shifting roles, costumes, and energies with commendable dexterity. Robinson in particular impresses, managing to play everything from the tragic warmth of Sally Jackson to the comedic flair of Charon and the menacing Medusa with seamless transitions. Their work is the backbone of the show’s pace and variety, but at times the imbalance between their intense workload and the relative idleness of the ensemble becomes stark.
Vocally, the production is flawless. Every cast member delivers crisp, confident vocals, with harmonies and solos alike ringing through the auditorium with clarity and emotion. The band, under the musical direction of Will Joy, provides impeccable support—tight, energetic, and tonally responsive throughout. The score itself is uneven: while songs like Son of Poseidon and Killer Quest are undeniably catchy and serve their narrative purpose well, others feel lyrically lazy and unnecessarily frequent, particularly in the first act, which becomes bogged down with exposition-heavy songs that could benefit from trimming or lyrical refinement.
Structurally, the show suffers from pacing issues. Act One is almost entirely exposition, with the titular quest not beginning until the end of Act One. This makes the first act feel bloated and the second act rushed. It’s a tall order to adapt a full novel into a two-act musical, but the structure could be refined to allow the story to breathe more organically.
Visually, the production lands somewhere between inventive and inconsistent. Ryan Dawson Laight’s set is sewer-inspired—a puzzling choice given the mythic scale of the story. While the projection and lighting design (Matt Powell and Tim Deiling, respectively) occasionally help to elevate scenes and suggest grandeur, there are moments where looping visuals or flickering projection resets break the immersion. The goat legs for Grover and horse legs for Mr Brunner are impressively realised, but other costumes—like that of Medusa —feel underwhelming and would benefit from bolder design choices. The illusions by Richard Pinner are occasionally effective, but often come across as amateur.
The choreography, directed by Lizzi Gee and associate Libby Watts, occasionally shines—particularly in larger numbers—but often feels surplus to requirements. When used cleverly, it adds flair; when overused, it distracts from the storytelling. Direction overall feels uncertain: The Lightning Thief is a show that doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. It flirts with camp, comedy, and self-aware meta-humour, but too often pulls back and asks to be taken seriously. This tonal inconsistency lets the performers down, and it’s in this uncertain limbo between pantomime and pathos that the production finds its greatest weakness.
One of the show’s most puzzling creative decisions is the underuse of the ensemble. With such a talented group—many of them making their professional debuts—the lack of engagement in physical storytelling, background characterisation, or stage presence in non-vocal moments feels like a missed opportunity. While the multi-rolling leads are exhausted covering the world’s mythological characters, the ensemble is relegated to backing vocals or brief appearances. A richer, more balanced integration of ensemble and narrative would make for a far more dynamic production.
All in all, The Lightning Thief is a show bursting with potential and brimming with talent, but struggling under the weight of its own structure and tonal identity. Its cast and band are undeniably excellent, and moments of brilliance do shine through. If future iterations of the production dare to lean fully into the camp, colour, and comedy that the source material invites, they could deliver a show that both kids and adults can unashamedly revel in. One thing that must be said, however, is how wonderful it was to see so many young people in the theatre and enjoying the show. Whilst this show may not be everyone’s cup of tea, if it can inspire a new generation of theatre lovers, it has done a good job. As it stands, this quest is enjoyable, occasionally electrifying, but still searching for its true identity.
The Lightning Thief plays at the Regent Theatre until Saturday 11th October where it continues its UK tour. Tickets available here.
Photography throughout from Johan Perrson.
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