Hercules - Theatre Royal Drury Lane - Review

The irony isn't lost on me when one of the coolest places to be during a blistering London heatwave is ancient Greece, otherwise known as Hercules at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the theatre still glistening from its refurbishment and the Disney musical still delighting audience members with its comedy, big dance numbers and fun.

Born to Zeus and Hera (Joel Benjamin and Ellie Mitchell), Hercules (Luke Brady) is a god destined for greatness, or that's how it should have been. His uncle, King of the Underworld Hades (Stephen Carlile) is desperate to claim the throne and upon hearing a prophecy that states that he could defeat his brother without Hercules in the picture, he takes matters into his own hands. He kidnaps the infant and forces a life on earth upon him, but his superhuman strength remains in tact and when he is grown, it is time for his reclaim his rightful place on Mount Olympus.

In this classic good versus evil story, you have your hero and your villain. Luke Brady's Hercules is charming, with a winning smile, a cheeky glint in his eye and a spark of joyful optimism that instantly wins over the audience. This Hercules has this determination to succeed without being boastful, he doesn't set out to become famous, he simply wants to go home to where he belongs. Rhianne Alleyne played the role of Meg at this performance, and whilst the character may be under the ownership of Hades thanks to a past bad decision, this is no damsel in distress. She doesn't want saving, for she has the power to save herself. She is sassy, brave and confident, using her smarts to get what she wants. With such lines as 'dating is wondering why someone is single, and then finding out', she is a standout character and Alleyne makes the role entirely her own. The chemistry between her and Brady is beautiful and playful, with tonnes of cheekiness and play.

Though some may believe that this production has taken the iconic Disney villain of Hades, all blue and flames in the animated film, and transformed him in a pantomime baddie decked out in glamorous red, thus turning him into a joke, but I wouldn't go that far. Yes, there are elements of panto about him such as breaks of the fourth wall and cheesy one liners, but personally I think this works. Carlile's Hades doesn't hide in the shadows, plot alone or lurk, he bosses his henchman around as their lives hang on a thread, he holds his power over Meg and his confidence is his own plan drives his every move. Some of the biggest laughs of the night go to Carlile, in my opinion, most deservedly.

Pain and Panic are the henchman of Hades in the film, but here these characters take new names Bob and Charles, played by Craig Gallivan and Matt Overfield. A wonderful double act, both with a natural flair for comedy, they prove to be a hit with the audience. Hercules' trainer, Phil, is played by Trevor Dion Nicholas whose bond with Brady's Hercules delights.

Now for the muses, otherwise known as the Muses, undoubtedly the highlight of this production with some of the best voices you could hope to hear. Kimmy Edwards, Sharlene Hector, Brianna Ogunbawo, Leslie Beehann and Robyn-Rose Li made up the group at this production and thrilled the audience with much loved hits such as 'A Star is Born', 'The Gospel Truth' and 'Zero to Hero'.

Whilst there are some grand set pieces for this production, such as statues and large temple pillars, the vast majority of setting the scene is done with full height digital backdrops reminiscent of Van Gogh paintings and inspired by ancient greek crockery art, suggesting perhaps that Hercules didn't quite have the same vast budget as 'Frozen' which previously called the Theatre Royal Drury Lane home. But that doesn't take away from the enjoyment factor. This is a production that celebrates fun, it is loaded with jokes and some incredible vocals, offering family friendly entertainment that has something for everyone.

And to finish, if you do attend a performance, be sure to stay until the very end of the orchestra play out to see a musical director who absolutely loves his job.

Hercules runs until September 5th 2026.