Disney Turned My Favourite Movie Into a West End Musical: a ‘Hercules’ Review

“Bless my soul, Herc was on a roll!”

- Zero to Hero, from ‘Hercules’, 1997

This September I had the pleasure of spending five days in London with my best friend, and although we slept on the floor in an unfurnished flat doing irreversible damage to our backs, we also took advantage of the current London theatre scene.

‘Hercules’ has always been one of my absolute favourite Disney movies, and I think when I was a child that really came down to the appeal of Megara as a character (did I want to be her or be with her? I still confess I don’t know) but also the bright colours, uniquely wonderful character design by Gerald Scarfe, and the soundtrack – which I will forever argue is one of Disney’s most underrated and best.

Alan Menken can do no wrong in my eyes, but he really knew what he was doing when he wrote ‘I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)’. Stubborn twenty-year-old girls everywhere will thank him for eternity.

So when I heard they were adapting Hercules for the stage, I was both excited and sceptical, but I knew it was something I needed to see. I have to admit that I am no theatre kid, I am no expert on musicals or what makes them critically acclaimed. I’ve probably seen embarrassingly few of them in my life. However I feel perhaps more inclined to speak on ‘Hercules’ on the West End because I am such a fan of the original Disney movie. I even did my nails inspired by Pain and Panic for the occasion.

(Photo taken by my best friend)

Which brings me to my first qualm: the Pain and Panic erasure!

In the musical, Pain and Panic were replaced by two random minions of Hades called Bob and Dave or something. I understand that this was probably an attempt at some humour for the younger members of the audience, but it was unappreciated by me.

Despite that initial disappointment, the visuals, music and performances were incredible. The modernisation of the production’s costumes – Hercules wearing a mesh top, Meg wearing leather – might divide audiences, however I thought these were quite fun changes that refreshed the characters’ looks for the stage, whilst keeping the same bright colours and flair of the film. I may also not have minded more of a modern look because I was sat at the very back of the theatre, so the finer details evaded me.

It didn’t matter where you were sitting, however, for all of the standout performances. The highlight of the entire show were the Muses, they make this show, and without them it would feel practically hollow.  Robyn Rose-Li, Brianna Ogunbawo, Candace Furbert, Malinda Parris and Sharlene Hector all did phenomenal jobs in bringing the Muses to life: the comedic timing, the looks, and of course, the insane vocals. They sounded incredible together and unapologetically stole the show. All while, in some numbers, balancing headpieces that looked like they weighed a tonne.

 Luke Brady was also an effortlessly charming Hercules, and although I’m sure Mae Ann Jorolan does an excellent job of portraying Meg, the performance I saw had an understudy, who I have to say was just as good if not preferred, and I am so frustrated that I cannot find her name anywhere or recognise who it might have been from the cast list. Just know that whoever played Meg in ‘Hercules’ at the Drury Lane Theatre on 16th September: I love her.

Other than the original soundtrack to Disney’s film, which I obviously know and love, there were a couple extra songs written for the show thrown in, which I ultimately thought were quite forgettable. Phil got an extra song and I think Hades got one too, but when pit against such well-loved, iconic songs like ‘Go the Distance’ or ‘Zero to Hero’, anything new is going to fade into the background unfortunately. Even the extra verses added to ‘Go the Distance’ and ‘I Won’t Say (I’m In Love)’, though appreciated because these relatively short songs were extended, didn’t pack enough of a punch for them to have been included.

All in all, as a Disney production, it looked incredible. The staging, the execution of monsters and fight scenes were very cool, especially the climax of the show where the action moved between slow motion and a regular pace. Naturally, they had the money behind this to make it look and feel brilliant.

But there were some narrative choices that confounded me.

First of all, Meg was introduced as a character right at the start of the first act, which meant that the audience knew before her meeting Hercules that she worked for Hades. Perhaps the team behind the show didn’t think this was such a big deal as audiences would already know this twist from the movie, however I do think it takes some fun away from the plot. I think they could’ve definitely played around with that reveal in a slightly pantomime-esque way for the stage. This also meant that Meg was introduced and played a part in the action while Hercules was still a baby, which then begs the question, does she not age while working for Hades? What are the logistics here? How much older is she than Hercules?

Perhaps I’m thinking way too much about a musical made for kids, but these are the questions I need to know.

Then there’s Hades.

What makes Hades such a refreshing and interesting villain in Disney’s film is his sarcasm, his suave exterior and bitingly cold tone. He is funny, cruel and has some of the best line deliveries in the film. And the musical turned him into a pantomime villain. Overly loud with much less witty humour and unfortunately not a very impactful or cutting presence.

What frustrated me the most about the plot of this adaptation, however, was the choice not to take Hercules’ godlike strength away from him in the final act. He never truly has to struggle against Hades. Instead, the war is waged against him on Olympus and Hercules is able to fight side by side with his father Zeus. To me, one of the most important parts of the original film is when Hercules gives up his immortal strength to save Meg from Hades’ binding bargain. It allows him to realise that it is not his supernatural strength that makes him a hero, but his selflessness, and willingness to sacrifice for those he loves.

The musical, while perhaps caring less about the film’s moral takeaways, chooses spectacle over the internal growth and arc of its characters. I would give the musical some grace for having to cut down a lot of the plot that is in the film, however it actually felt quite short, so I’m not going to.

Despite all of that (what may appear to be) quite harsh criticism, I had a whale of a time. I laughed, I cried, I hummed along quietly so that other people nearby wouldn’t hate me. And though I had my issues with it, I did love that they gave Hera as much of a role in the story as Zeus. As they should.

(Cover photo taken by me)