REVIEW: The Lightning Thief

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief might be one of the most adaptable pieces of text to come out of the 2010’s. From various books and spin-off series, followed by a feature film and a TV show, the material and themes within it translate well to the many different textual mediums. I am pleased to find that the themes found within the text; identity, community and fantasy have all clearly found their way into Measina Theatre Company’s inaugural production of The Lightning Thief at PYT in Fairfield. This company have managed to pull together one of the most diverse cast and creatives I have seen in independent theatre in order to create a show that is equal parts heartfelt, campy, and unique.

As mentioned above, the cast of this show is filled with many shining stars. The pre-show announcement says “we hope that through this show, you are able to see yourself and resonate with the characters onstage” which is a definite testament to the casting and directorial choices made to contribute to the show’s vision.

Leading this cast as Percy Jackson is the amazing Ethan Malacaria. Being no stranger to the stage, Malacaria tackles the astonishingly hard vocal track of Percy well but arguably more

impressive he lives and breathes this role. There was not a single moment where I could see the cracks in his characterisation which, for someone who is onstage for that long, is an admirable achievement.

We also have Sachi Subramanian as Grover and Lily Ting as Annabeth. Subramanian brings a sincere meekness to Grover as the endearing best friend and protector of Percy whilst Ting imbues Annabeth with sarcasm, drive and heart with an impressive vocal range to match! Overall this trio complement each other quite well and make for an engaging group to lead us through the plot of what can sometimes be a complicated show.

Rounding up the amazing supporting cast is the characters of Luke and Mr D/Clarisse. Lenard Chang plays the role of Luke exceptionally well, truly lulling even the audience into a false sense of safety, making the plot shift quite impactful in Act 2. Zara Thompson is also side-splittingly funny in her ochre, Kath-and-Kim-inspired character of Mr D, but then flips to become a commanding force to be reckoned with; both vocally and physically in the role of Clarisse.

Visually the show was a treat, especially in such a difficult, confined space like the PYT Fairfield. The arch-shaped, battle ring of a set, complete with cast using every inch of it was brilliantly crafted and honestly refreshing to see compared to the stock-standard “community-theatre rostrum” that we all know and love. However, this did cause the space to be quite restrictive; reducing the floor space for larger choreography numbers and also creating some more unconventional wings. This, in turn made some of the travelling scenes seem more unrealistic than others and caused some transitions to be slightly clunkier.

One thing that has stayed in my mind beyond the performance was the incorporation of modern-day humour. I find that when doing contemporary-made shows, the inclusion of modern-day Gen Z humour is quite prevalent in independent and university theatre and can often take you out of the world of the show. Whilst this is the case in this production, I was pleasantly surprised to find that given the context of this show, these instances were more complementary than jarring and served the show mostly well.

Musically, this show was clean and refined with minimal mishaps. Both Georgie Hopkins and Laura Cox should be extremely proud of what they and their small band have brought to the

stage, especially in such a complex space which is difficult to mix effectively.

Nikola Zielinski managed to bring clear refinement and cultural flair to their choreography. The choreography always added to the plot onstage and made clear and effective use of the space. Similarly, Grant Brennan should be praised for his fight choreography which was very impressive to the eye whilst still ensuring all actors were safe.

Overall, Measina Theatre Company’s production of The Lightning Thief was extremely enjoyable, visually pleasing and filled with promising young talent. Whilst there were some bumps along the road of this “Killer Quest”, that is not to detract from the hard work of the cast and creative team alike. It is no stretch to say that under Melissa Sina Applin’s guidance as the founder of MTC and director, Measina is on the road to creating a well-established company devoted to supporting the many diverse voices of our budding young artists in the Sydney independent theatre scene.

3 out of 5 Stars