Hercules. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by David Zippel, Book by Robert Horn & Kwame Kwei-Armah. Theatre Royal Drury Lane, booking until 28 March 2026, 3☆☆☆ Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Disney's Hercules (Luke Brady) Photo by Matt Crockett ©Disney

Hercules. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by David Zippel, Book by Robert Horn & Kwame Kwei-Armah. Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine Street, London WC2 booking until 28 March 2026,

3☆☆☆ Review: William Russell.

“All Greek to me.”

Disney's 1997 animated movie is the basis for this live musical which follows Frozen into the Theatre Royal. The audience loved it, but that was quite clearly because they loved the film and welcomed the familiar moments from that rather than because of what they were actually seeing. Flashily staged, well performed and with more songs than the film it starts off well and then slowly goes downhill. Luke Brady is a  strapping Hercules with a decent voice, but the real stars of the show are the five canaries who play the Muses – Candace Furbert, Sharlene Hector, Brianna Ogunbawo, Malinda Parris and Robin Rose. They endlessly change costumes and, since they perform together, the joke is  each is intent on outsinging the other sister and producing the longest, loudest highest note. They are also funny.

The real problem, however, is the book – the story of Hercules as told here is a Disney invention using elements from other tales. Hercules is not the child of Zeus and Hera transformed at birth by wicked uncle Hades but one of the many children Zeus had with other women, this time a mortal so he is only half a God. He was strong but had a terrible temper, killed someone and as penance was given the 12 labours to fulfill some of which are staged while his wicked uncle and his two comic sidekicks, a Disney staple try to dispose of him. He also falls for a tough young woman who lives in the Underworld with Hades – actually that name for him got replaced early on in the myth by Pluto but in the Disneyverse one could not have an evil villain called Pluto. The story has no reason and there is no reason to root for Hercules. The set is dominated by four pairs of peripatetic pillars which keep forming into different combinations, impressive at first but by the end of the show one just wishes they would stay still. As for the cast, the ensemble works hard but the Theatre Royal has a vast stage and it shows – they rattle around like peas in a pod. However the assorted monsters are jolly, will not frighten the tiniest of tots taken to see it, and above all there are the Muses – who are divine. Disney's other animated films turned into stage shows had heart, this one smacks of scraping the barrel – in the long list of Theatre Royal musicals it is very near the bottom of the list but for the audience it will attract it probably hits all the necessary buttons, they can drink and munch popcorns as they watch,  and even if confronted with roles that make no sense the cast is well, if unimaginatively drilled. The choreography is by numbers stuff. It is a pity Stephen Carlkle's  Hades is a bit of a milksop impossible to boo – no pantomime would employ him – and it is all too loud so that Dvid Zippel's lyrics, which are good, frequently get drowned out. As for Menken's score, it has some decent songs for the cast to sing. The result is a 3star evening at  best but the coach party of small children left delirious with delight with a leader even happier so what can one say? They had stars in their eyes. It is quite simply critic proof.

Cast

Luke Brady – Hercules

Candace Furbert – Thalia

Sharlene Hector – Clio

Brianna Ogunbawo – Melpomene

Malinda Parris Calliope

Robyn Rose-Li – Terpsichore

Mae Ann Jorolan – Meg

Trevor Dion Nicholas – Phil

Stephen Carlile – Hades

Craig Gallivan – Bob

Lee Zarrett – Charles

Rhianne Alleyyne, Lana Antoniou, Daisy Barnett, Felipe Bejarano, Sarah Benbelaid, Joel Benjamin, Jack Butcher, Nicole Carlisle, Francesca Daniella-Baker, Marie Finoayson, Ryesha Higgs, Cruz-Troy Hunter, Travis Kerry, Stefan Lagoulis, Jason Leigh Winter, Jordan Livesay, Jarriet Miller, Ellie Mitchell, Saffi Needham, Ben Nicholas, Ingrid Olivia, Matt Overfield, Patrick John Robinson, Ope Sowande, Rhys West – Ensemble.

Creatives

Director & Choreograoher – casey Nicholaw

Scenic & Additional Video Design – Dane Laffrey

Costume Design – Gregg Barnesm Sky Switser

Lighting Design – Jeff Crolter

Sound Design – Adam Fisher

Video Design – George Reef

Special Effects Design – Jeremy Chernick

Music Supervisor & Arranger – Michael Kosarin

Musical Director – Daniel Whitby.