This stage adaptation from Disney, of their 1997 movie, is a surprising disappointment. While The Lion King continues as a perennial favourite, and Aladin and Frozen were credible successes, this latest effort is not of the same standard.
Yes, people want the film replicated – there’s no use complaining about that. But the book, from Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah, makes little effort to introduce any theatricality and director Casey Nicholaw follows suit.
Showing special effects, including super-strength, on stage, is hard. But there aren’t any new ideas about how to do it here. The result is a feeling of being a bit cheated. The puppetry and video are OK… but nothing special. The set is too minimal, with lots of Greek columns coming and going. Except for excellent costumes, from Gregg Barnes and Sky Switser, it all looks a bit cheap.
The cast is professional and clearly working hard (Zeus is very athletic). Luke Brady, who takes the title role, sounds lovely and his romantic interest Meg, played by Mae Ann Jorolan, has a super voice. There isn’t quite enough of the music, from Alan Menken and David Zippel, to make them shine or the show substantial. It’s clear someone knew this was a problem, but additional numbers are sub-standard.
The highlight of Hercules is the quintet of fabulously dressed Muses recast as Gospel singers. Candace Furbert, Sharlene Hector, Brianna Ogunbawo, Malinda Parris and Robyn Rose-Li sound stunning… even if what they are singing is no big shakes. Credit to Stephen Carlile as well, in his role as Hades, who has thought seriously about his character’s physicality and as a result makes the most successful move (literally) from a cartoon to real life. But Carlile also points out the production’s biggest problem. He is the only character who is funny.
The conspicuous lack of humour in the show must be considered a flaw. The film was funny, no? But the effort not to take itself, or its characters, too seriously, isn’t consistent or successful. There isn’t a funny song either. And it really needs one. The lack of laughs is noticeable for all the roles but three suffer most. The excellent Trevor Dion Nicholas, as trainer Phil, has a tough time; the effort to give him some backstory is pitiful. Even worse, Craig Gallivan and Lee Zarrett, who play Hades’ helpers, get seriously shortchanged with a number shoe-horned too close to the end of the show.
Hercules is a long way from awful; there’s a lot of professionalism after all. But what few ideas the show has, are made to go too far, making the whole thing stretched and thin.
Booking until March 2025
Photo by Johan Persson
