Quirky, unique, Mommy/Daddy issues, all set to music – LAMMPS (Leeds Universities Medic Musical Theatre Society ) finally made their long-awaited return to the Riley Smith Theatre after COVID cancelled their 2020 musical. And what a way to come back with none other than the UK premiere of the musical, ‘The Lightning Thief’, based on Rick Riordan’s ‘Percy Jackson’ book series. As a mere mortal with no prior knowledge of the storyline, I was extremely excited to be invited to review this show.
Immediately I was taken to the world of Camp Half-Blood with the animated movements and vocal work of the cast, alongside the amazing set and projections used to transform the stage. The creative approach to lighting, with three large light beams on either side of the stage that changed colour depending on the scene, was very effective. I particularly loved the way the lighting mimicked lightning strikes and the waves in the water from Poseidon.
The energy and talent from the ensemble were truly highlighted in the fight sequence between Annabeth and Clarisse, entitled ‘Put You In Your Place’. Each member of the cast perfectly blended in and understood each other, which was only heightened through the synchronised movement and their spear props. It was such a fun scene, and what made it so much better is that you could tell every actor on that stage was having just as much fun. I particularly loved the creative use of the set in this scene as Percy attacked Clarisse with a toilet roll, which proved very effective and looked exactly like Percy had spelt the toilet water to churn up the toilet paper itself – the magic of theatre!
Watching Cameron Mullin as Percy Jackson was truly a treat. He was the definition of a leading man and charismatically commanded the stage. His energetic choices and strong vocals created an amazing blend, therefore making him the perfect Percy. I am excited to see what he does next.
Nathalie Hall as Annabeth provided a stellar performance and truly led every scene she was in with power, talent and confidence. Her rendition of ‘My Grand Plan’ highlighted not only her range as an actor but showcased her vocals perfectly. She played the iconic girl boss Annabeth impeccably and exuded empowerment in all her movements. My favourite line from her has to be ‘most girls never win if they’re polite’.
Special shoutouts would definitely have to go to Cara Staniford’s performance as Mr D, Adele Kirby’s show-stopper of a performance as Charon, and Zak Muggleton as Luke. These supporting actors really tied together the show as a talent-filled hit!
Backstage was also great, helping with scene changes and smooth mic changes. One of the microphones broke but actor Henry Marshell carried on despite noticing the break in his mic. His voice and projection were clear and succinct on their own, and I still heard every word despite being sat near the back. Kudos to him!
Backstage provided a handheld mic as an alternative for those who were to use this shared radio mic later on in the show, which I think was actually well incorporated into the storyline. Especially the character of Hades played by Kayleigh Corbin, who demands respect in the underworld, and Kirby’s character Charon, who dreams of performing and singing. It added more character to the show.
None of this work, however, could have been possible without the talented work of Director Ruth Rusnak, Choreographer Niamh Robinson, Producer Martha Dawson, Musical Director Alex Boulton, and Assistant Musical Director Zara Harris. This solid production team turned this weird and wacky musical into a hit, and the entirety of the Leeds campus was buzzing with excitement (and rightly so!).
Rusnak should be very proud to have delivered on a very highly anticipated musical, and also to have done so to such a high standard. Although the show has closed now, it is still exciting to see live theatre is back up and running, and to see where LAMMPS goes next year with their performance of ‘The Addams Family’. Check out their Instagram to see photos from their show, @Leedsammps.
Words by: Anna Duffell
Edited by: Ellen Robinson