The Lightning Thief | Home Manchester

After delighting audiences at The Other Palace in London, The Lightning Thief returns in the form of a UK tour which is currently visiting theatres up until 21st March 2026 where the tour concludes at Leicester Curve. With a two week stint at Home in Manchester, The Lightning Thief is the perfect family friendly show over the half term.

Adapted from the best selling novel of the same title by Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief has been adapted for stage by Be More Chill's Joe Tracz, with music from Rob Rokicki. We follow misunderstood Percy Jackson, who discovers that he is half-blood and the son of Greek God, Poseidon. When his life is turned upside down after being expelled from yet another school, he is encouraged to attend Camp Half Blood, a summer camp where the children of Greek Gods attend. Percy becomes involved in an epic quest, alongside his friends Annabeth and Grover, to return Zeus' stolen lightning bolt to prevent war amongst the Gods. Ultimately, this is a story of self-discovery and acceptance, with multiple neurodiverse characters being embedded within the story.

Lizzie Gee's direction and choreography ensures that the plot is engaging throughout. However, the book does lend its hand to pacing issues. The whole first act leads us up to the moment that the three friends visit the Underworld, yet the second act feels jam packed with subplots that feel rushed and not fully realised. However, Gee's direction ensures that the energy never dips, and there's lots to enjoy as we're introduced to the eccentric Greek Gods throughout the quest.

Rokicki's rock score becomes the backbone of the musical, with the music driving the story forward. There is a brilliant mix between angsty, powerful numbers that portray Percy's uncertainty and frustration during his journey of self-discovery, as well as beautiful ballad numbers that bring emotional depth to the piece. Each song is an ear-worm and is without a doubt one of the show's biggest highlights.

Vasco Emauz takes on the role of Percy with unwavering confidence and fieriness. Emauz's vocals are powerful and emotive, with a commanding stage presence as we are taken on his journey. Understudy Alex Anderton took on the role of Grover, Percy's loyal best friend, for this performance. Anderton's charming and vulnerable nature is fully believable and relatable, with The Tree on the Hill being one of the standout performances of the evening. Kayna Montecillo's take on Annabeth perfectly balances the hardened exterior against the hurt interior, which is perfectly captured in her rendition of My Grand Plan.

Danny Beard's quirky and camp take on Mr D is incredibly fun, and plenty of the ensemble are given opportunity to show versatility in their acting with multi-role opportunities. Ellie-Grace Cousins and Niall Sheehy, in particular, are delightful in their different characterisations.

Ryan Dawson Laight's innovative set design allowed industrial set pieces to be moved around the stage flexibly to transport the story to different locations, which suits a touring production. The story's magical elements are supported by Matt Powell's video design and Tim Deiling's lighting design, which is projected onto the industrial set pieces bringing depth to different locations. Visually, the set, lighting and video cohesiveness is striking and impactful, particularly when the monsters are brought to life with large scale puppetry.

For those who are new to the wonderous world of Greek Mythology, to the die hard fans of the Percy Jackson novels, there is much to delight in with The Lightning Thief. This musical is a feel-good, energetic production that serves as a reminder to embrace your authentic self- an inspiring message for young theatre goers.

The Lightning Thief plays at Home Manchester until 21st February - tickets and more information can be found here.

★★★★☆ (4*)

Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | Photography by Mark Senior