The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

This unexpected and highly entertaining adaptation of the novel by Rick Riordan is a fun addition to the Percy Jackson franchise. As a ‘fractured fairytale’ type take on the Greek myths, it’s smart and witty, with lots of high-energy songs, making it a fun show for the cast and crew, and for all the family to enjoy. The team at Hanson Creative (indie production company established by freelance creative, lighting designer and tech operator, Emma Hanson) celebrated several sold-out performances.

As fans of the book or the film adaptation will know, Percy Jackson (played with energy and authenticity by Kyle Armstrong) is a teenager coming to terms with living with his single mother (a thoughtful portrayal by Mia Leirich who also takes on other characters in the story). Then, just in time for the high-school summer camp, Percy discovers he is a demigod and joins other ‘half-blood’ teens to discover who his real father is. Oh, and being based on a Greek myth, there’s an inevitable quest – just the tiny matter of finding Zeus’s missing lightning bolt and preventing a war among the Greek gods! Like all the best teenage tales, Percy is joined by a team of like-minded misfits: his best pal, Grover (Elton Jun who never misses a comic beat as the sidekick satyr), Annabeth (Aimee Sheather giving a plucky performance with equal leading force as Annabeth struggles with the same identity issues as Percy) and Luke (Henry Dollar showing some outstanding comic work and quirky American accents). The teens are supported by teachers (or are they?) Mr Brunner (Reid McWha, who also plays other characters and has an outstanding character actor presence), and Mrs Dodds (Ruby Gleeson who shows a remarkable range as she also plays teenage Clarisse).

Most of this talented young cast are experienced around the traps of Brisbane’s indie theatre musical scene, and some are still studying their craft. I enjoyed every performance, so producer/director, Emma Hanson (Queensland University of Technology drama graduate) has done an amazing job in her casting, as well as musical direction.

There was a fabulous band on stage throughout, featuring Jane Way on keys, Riley McTaggart and George Stewart on guitars, Joshua Finn on bass, Max Harford on drums (with Ella Hicks covering). An unexpected treat was terrific choreography by Anna Ryan, who also plays a couple of hilarious parts in the show. Daena Ann was assistant director, and Lucy Wilding attended to stage management. This production was polished and professional, with accent coach Caleb Hockings and vocal consultant Aarya Dath on board. The simple set and lighting allowed the performers to take centre stage without distraction.

The only glitch was the BackDock Arts headsets and sound system, which were sometimes a bit too up close and personal, and a tad loud for such a small venue. But this was a great result for such a small group – a power-packed show, overflowing with fresh Brisbane talent! Can’t wait to see what this group produces next.

Beth Keehn

Find out more: www.backdockarts.com

Photographs: Tayla Rankine