Book by Joe Tracz, Adapted from ‘The Lightning Thief’ by Rick Riordan

Music and Lyrics by Rob Rokicki

Review by Dominic Corr

The Festival Theatre: Tickets

No matter the form, the tales of ancient Greece have (quite rightly) never left us. So if you’re a die-hard fan of Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is a cacophonous, high-energy love letter to the demigod misfits of Camp Half-Blood. For newcomers, however, it’s a whirlwind of exposition, mythology, and musical numbers that may leave you breathless, but not always enlightened.

Dusting off these ancient myths and giving them a fresh new life at the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, this touring production bursts onto the stage with a chaotic charm that feels like the best kind of school show: inventive, scrappy, and brimming with heart. The set design, by Lee Savage, is a kaleidoscope of monsters, illusions, and cleverly repurposed props. It’s a visual playground that leans into the absurdity of Greek gods in the modern world, and it works. From Medusa’s garden centre lair to the Vegas Lotus Hotel, each location is conjured with wit and colour, aided by Sydney Maresca’s delightfully cartoonish costumes.

At the centre of it all is Percy Jackson, played with boundless energy and earnestness by Vasco Emauz. Emauz captures Percy’s blend of sarcasm, insecurity, and reluctant heroism with ease, anchoring the show even as it spirals into musical mayhem. Alongside him, Kayna Montecillo’s Annabeth is sharp and commanding, while Cahir O’Neill brings warmth and comic timing to Grover. The trio’s chemistry is excitable, and their commitment to the material keeps the audience invested, even when the plot gallops ahead like a runaway Pegasus.

And gallop it does. The show’s biggest flaw is its pacing. With around twenty musical numbers crammed into two acts, there’s barely time to breathe between battles, revelations, and character introductions. Songs like “The Oracle” and “Drive” are catchy but feel like narrative speed bumps, while others like “Good Kid” and “My Grand Plan” offer genuine emotional depth but are lost in the rush. The real star, however? “Dead Or Alive” – a blast of undead fun. It’s a musical that rarely pauses to let its story settle, which can be disorienting for those unfamiliar with the source material.

That said, the production compensates with sheer entertainment value. The lighting design by David Lander is bold and dynamic, using strobes, colour washes, and silhouettes to heighten the action. The fight choreography is playful and inventive, often leaning into slapstick rather than spectacle, which suits the tone perfectly. There’s a DIY charm to the staging that embraces its limitations and turns them into strengths; monsters are puppets, gods wear glitter, and the underworld is a rock concert.

Fans of the books will revel in the references, from Percy’s pen-turned-sword to the appearance of Ares on a motorbike. The musical doesn’t shy away from the darker themes of abandonment, identity, and destiny, but it wraps them in humour and heart. It’s a show that understands its audience and delivers exactly what they want: a fast-paced, funny, and faithful adaptation that celebrates the weirdness of being a hero.

For others, The Lightning Thief may feel like being dropped into the middle of a mythology exam with a guitar solo. But even if the plot leaves you puzzled, the production’s energy and inventiveness are undeniable. It’s a show that wears its imperfections proudly, like a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt stained with monster blood and glitter. The Lightning Thief is a joyful, chaotic romp through Greek mythology and adolescent angst. It may not convert the uninitiated, but for those already enchanted by Percy’s world, it’s a thunderbolt of theatrical fun.

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