book-review

The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical

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Reviewed by Sophie Rowley

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This February at Home, Manchester, Percy Jackson’s story comes to life in Joe Tracy’s exciting adaption of Rick Riordan’s worldwide best seller. Combine this with Rob Rokicki’s ‘electrifying rock score’ and The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical promises to have audience on the edge of their seats.

Upon finding out that he shares lineage with the Greek God Poseidon, Percy’s life changes forever as he is sucked into a world he never knew existed. He faces new challenges and battles he needs to overcome, having normal teenage problems clearly isn’t enough for poor Percy, now on top of hormones he needs to become a hero and save the world and restore Zeus’s lightning bolt.

The trend within the theatre world at the moment seems to be favouring a revival of millennial staples which The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical perfectly fits into. First of all walking into the theatre and seeing the amazing job Ryan Dawson Laight has done with the set design, the excitement is already brewing – and this is just the opening screen. The backdrop of the lightening effect really makes you feel you’re in for an experience not just a show. The set and costume design continues to amaze for the whole of the production. There is so much going on with this show, Greek mythology, adolescent troubles, friendship, coming of age, falling in love; it’s all there and so cleverly crafted. The creative team which includes director and choreographer Lizzi Gee, set and costume design from Ryan Dawson Laight and lightening designer Tim Deiling have succeeded entirely in bringing us a breathtaking show. 

The themes of Greek Mythology run strongly through the show, the mirroring of Greek Myths and teenage adolescence is such a clever analogy by Riordan and its easy to see why he enchants so many readers worldwide. Similarly Rob Rokicki’s ‘electrifying rock score’ did not disappoint. It has been suggested that this score will delight fans of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’, it does have the same gritty undertone of teenage angst and self discovery and I will definitely be listening to the soundtrack for some repeat performances. 

Vasco Emauz brings a rebellious yet cheeky side to Percy Jackson, his singing voice is fitting of a Demi-God. Emauz brings Percy’s struggles to life, we see how he deals with his past and present trouble and through the help his friends,  Annabeth played by Kayna Montecillo and Grover played by Alex Anderton. Annabeth and Grover give Percy the strength and support he needs to transform himself from to rouge to royalty. Grover is Percy’s protector and as the truth unravels Percy starts to become more and more aware he is not a normal teenager.

Laight’s vivid imagination comes alive on stage in Grover’s character and costumes. One of my favourite parts of Grover is how he shows Percy that his strength are actually in the traits Percy thinks are weak. Montecillo presents Annabeth as she should be – strong and powerful. She is a fighter and really is someone who should not be crossed by any means. Her mother was the ‘ goddess of wisdom and battle strategy” – and Annabeth really shows Percy what it means to be a true warrior. The trio together overcome many obstacles in true teenage style.

Creating the perfect sub plot to this is Sally Jackson played by Simone Robinson who portrays Percy’s mother with a quiet strength – on the surface she seems like a timid lady in a bad relationship with Gabe played by Joseph Conner, but she’s far from that. Robinson showcases this very well and her voice is angelic. Conner’s portrayal of Gabe makes him as awful as you would want him to be. He is a narcissistic villain who through his horrendous attitude shows Percy how not to be a man.

As the show progresses it’s clear to see the fusion of fantasy and fairytale throughout, despite being clearly directed for a younger audience there are wonderful glimpses of humour for the adults. Enter Mr D played superbly by Danny Beard, his gift for being naturally funny really pays off in this role, as does his talent within the drag world – its as though the role was meant for him and he shines through each scene and song. I am well aware that there are probably a lot of snippets of the show that will have gone over my head as I haven’t really ever seen many of the films nor read the books, I was however very intrigued by the show and how it would translate from page to stage. Visually it is brilliant, Laight’s choice of sets and costumes are clever and interesting, mixing the mundane with the magical, while the themes within the story translate incredibly well – Percy feels like any other teenager – bored of life, teachers like Mr Brunner (Niall Sheehy) trying to teach him about his heritage. Never had such emphasis been placed on “a pen”!!

Every single person on stage and behind the scenes has done such an amazing job bringing this production from page to stage. The ensemble who often go without merit have to rightly take centre stage as they really excel themselves by playing multiple parts and should be enormously commended. This show is jam packed full of things to love. The lighting and staging is phenomenal – and rightly deserves all the praise it gets. Where it is possible the mix of myth and magic is done so incredibly well. Coming into the show as a complete novice to Riordan’s world I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed it, have booked to go again and would highly recommend to all.

The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical is on at Manchester’s HOME until Saturday 21st February tickets available here.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

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Reviewed by Sophie Rowley

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a treat this is – midweek show – hot chocolate and mince pies. I’m here at press night – settling down to watch the Lowry’s Christmas show “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”. As we approach this festive season there tends to be a tradition of household favourites on the theatre scene, this year is no exception, the Lowry is once again hosting the children’s classic, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, which in 2021 impressed audiences with its contemporary take on an old favourite. Retuning direct from the West End, “the nations favourite novel” promises once again to delight audiences and bring festive cheer to the Salford scene. 

The novel is one of C S Lewis’ fantasy favourites which since the 1950s has gripped children and adults alike. It was the first story to be published from the seven novel collection “The Chronicles of Narnia” and it has seen many adaptations in its time on TV, in film and now on stage. The versatile Lyric stage is transformed as director Mike Fenton brings Sally Cookson’s original production to life. 

Set against the backdrop of wartime England, when children were being evacuated for safety, Lewis takes this one step further and sends the readers into the magical land of Narnia – which lets face it is a character all on its own. The story is mainly driven by the youngest of the 4 children, Lucy, who enters this mysterious land three times through a simple wardrobe in the spare room. The wardrobe acts as a portal to the magical land of Narnia, a land where time stands still and woodland fantasy creatures are in a war of their own, in a bid to bring back hope to their once pleasant land.

Here lies the power of Lewis’ storytelling – how many of you tried getting to Narnia through a wardrobe in your childhood homes – hoping you – like Lucy, could escape the reality of daily life through a doorway of hope. Narnia is brought to life superbly by the creative team. Visually this production is stunning, the contrast between black and white, light and dark throughout is so clever. The contemporary dance routines creates a wonderful parallel to the classic tale. The art of illusion especially with the witches scenes really are special and are delivered perfectly by the cast. A special moment must be taken to appreciate the sheer brilliance of the puppeteers (directed by Toby Olie and designed by Max Humphries). From household pets to woodland creatures the use of puppetry throughout is so creative. The subtle movement they give to all the animals allows them to become incredibly life like – so much so that you forget you’re watching puppets, instead you are drawn into the illusion and believe they are real. This combined with the arial artistry (directed by Gwen Hales) gives the whole production a fourth dimension feel – you are in Lucy’s shoes, you’ve entered Narnia. This show truly is a spectacle.

As Act 1 progresses the mentions of Aslan increase, building the tension ahead of his much anticipated arrival. “The King of the beasts’ finally comes to the stage in the second act through a cloud of smoke and I must admit I was excited – finally the title character is here portrayed by both a puppet and an actor. Aslan (Stanton Wright) commands the stage with a majestic presence that you can’t help but be transfixed by. I felt at times however that I was looking more at Wright than the Aslan puppet, which moments before I was so excited to see. This conflict continued throughout the show and personally as brilliant as Stanton Wright was, having both him and the puppet in equal spotlight made it feel like they were separate characters. In fact at times it felt like Aslan the puppet was a pet to Wrights’ character.

Second in the title ranking is the Witch played by Kate Stephens who with her impressive resume naturally bring a regal essence to the role. Literally at times towering above the audience with her crown of icicles and long fur coat, she definitely makes her presence felt, owning her stage. 

The children are equally as brilliant and the talent within the company is phenomenal. Kudzai Mangombe portrayal of Lucy brings a wonderful playful innocence that develops into a adolescent charm. Peter (Jesse Dunbar) and Susan (Joanna Adaran) bring reason and drive to the story, providing Lucy with a solid foundation – almost like parental figures – a beacon of truth and honesty. Contrasting completely with this is the rebellious Edmund who is played to perfection by Bunmi Osandolor. 

I cannot leave out one of literatures finest fawns – Mr Tumnus played by Alfie Richards – who brings a mystical quality to his performance, and by doing so adds a fantasy element to the show. Honestly the entire cast must be commended – not only for their wealth of talent, but because of their ability to play multiple characters and instruments. Mr and Mrs Beever also deserve a special mention – they bring a comedic element, that breaks up the plot which at times is quite bleak, with the wartime synergy.  

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe fits perfectly into the play with music genre, making it a wonderfully entertaining festive experience. Take that leap this Christmas and step through the wardrobe to see Narnia for yourselves! 

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is on at The Lowry until Sunday 11th January 2026 tickets are available here.

Alice In Wonderland

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Reviewed by Matthew Forrest

Opening Night verdict ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Shakespeare North Playhouse is at it again this Christmas, tackling another literary juggernaut for their festive offering. Their debut year saw A Christmas Carol, the year after it was, The Wind in the Willows. This holiday season they have upped the ante, bringing Alice In Wonderland to the stage.

Writer Nick Lane has taken elements of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and sequel Through the Looking-Glass and crafted an original, modern adaptation of Alice’s adventure with its roots firmly in Prescot.

We are introduced to a grown up Alice (Helen Carter), out shopping in Prescot on Christmas Eve with her two children. The stresses of the time off year are taking their toll:  the kids are bored and wanting to go home, whilst Alice is having difficulties with her sister, whom she no longer sees as often as she should. As the family walks over to a fun fair. Alice becomes distracted by the appearance of a familiar visitor: The White Rabbit, who she remembers from her last visit to Wonderland, as a young girl.

Alice once again follows the rabbit down the rabbit-hole and so begins another adventure. On her journey Alice encounters some old friends, The Cheshire Cat  (Kelise Gordon Harrison), Caterpillar (Tia Larsen), and of course The Mad Hatter (Milton Lopes). However, a new threat has emerged in the form of The Duchess(Martha Godber). The Duchess has not only captured Alice’s smile, but also feeds the residents of Wonderland jam tarts to make them forget about the joyous things in life, such as Christmas, while keeping them under control. Alice must defeat The Duchess in order to free the people of Wonderland as well find a way back home to her family.

Nick Lane and director Nathan Powell have created a fun, family friendly production, which isn’t perfect, but will certainly bring a sprinkling of magic over the festive period. It’s a slow start, but once Alice arrives in Wonderland you become invested in the story. The script as you would expect is bonkers packed full of great gags and superb visual jokes. The Bill Shankly-esque introduction of the Caterpillar and the joyous stupidity of the Dodo is superb. There are some scenes, such as the Christmas dinner scene which could do with a bit of a trim but these are minor quibbles for what on the whole is an enjoyable tale.

Always within Shakespeare North Playhouse productions is a sense of pride about its home in Prescot and the community, so there plenty of jokes about in-jokes and harmless potshots at local surrounding towns which I always find endearing and really shows just what the theatre means to the community and what the community mean to the theatre: which is something special and should be cherished.

The small cast of five put in a shift, with all except Carter, playing multiple characters. Helen Carter is in good form as an older world weary yet sassy Alice. Martha Godber is equally impressive as the villain of the piece, somewhere between Liz Truss, Donald Trump, and a spot of Boris Johnson thrown in for good measure, complete with a  great singing voice she absolutely nails it.

Milton Lopes brings the absurdity as both The Dodo, and The Mad Hatter, it’s two very different roles that provide a platform for Lopes to showcase a gift for physical comedy and his circus skills. Kelise Gordon-Harrison is a great value as the kung-fu loving, game show host Cheshire Cat, complete with backflips and a catchphrase. Whilst Tia Larsen very nearly steals the show as the over enthusiastic, Card Two, and her turn as the Caterpillar (along with Lopes’ Dodo) were my personal highlights.

Sascha Gilmour’s beautiful, vibrant costumes are an absolute treat with the pick of the bunch being the glorious JubJub Bird, Caterpillar and Dodo. Whilst the fairground setting adds a sense of unpredictability to proceedings.

Alice in Wonderland has everything you want from a Christmas show: big laughs, silly set pieces, a spot of panto style audience participation and a heartwarming message to send you on your way. A treat for all the family and well worth a peek into the looking glass for.

Alice in Wonderland is at the Shakespeare North Playhouse until 11th January. Tickets available here.

Images by Patch Dolan and Kristian Lawrence