THIS IS LONDON SEPTEMBER EDITION 2025 copy - Flipbook - Page 12
HERCULES
Like so many others, Hercules is my
favourite Disney film, so the new West
End adaptation had a lot to live up to.
The musical follows the story of the
unlikely titular hero, a clumsy and
unusually strong boy who is the
unknowing son of Zeus and Hera –
therefore, part God. In order to return to
his rightful home on Mount Olympus he
needs to prove that he can do something
no other God has done before. Put on
your togas and strap in, because the
adventure that follows is full of trials,
tribulations and joy in equal measure.
Disney know how to put on a show
and this is no exception. The costumes
(Sky Switser) are glittering in gold and
the sets are more than capable of filling
the Theatre Royal stage. The music
keeps the show bouncing along, with
I Can Go the Distance and Zero to Hero
being huge hits with the audience. Alan
Menken’s songs have stood the test of
time, both small children and adults left
the theatre humming the tunes.
Luke Brady takes on the role of
Hercules with his cheeky demeanour
and strapping good looks, with Mae Ann
Jorolan performing as love interest Meg.
They are both charming to watch, their
love story is fun and convincing – the
audience are rooting for them from the
start. Trevor Dion Nicholas, formerly the
Genie in Aladdin when it played in the
West End a few years ago, is funny and
affable as Phil. The muses (Furbert,
Hector, Ogunbawo, Parris and Rose-Li)
steal the show here. They have arguably
the best songs to perform, but boy, do
they perform them. Their voices are
exceptional and their performances
are sublime.
I left the show feeling full of
childhood memories and happiness.
A perfect night out, for young and old!
Lucie Henry
THE CODE OPENS AT SOUTHWARK
PLAYHOUSE ELEPHANT
A brand-new London production of
The Code by American playwright Michael
McKeever will run at Southwark
Playhouse Elephant from 12 September to
11 October. The play is directed by Tonynominated Christopher Renshaw and
produced by an international team led by
Jim Kierstead.
Set in Hollywood, 1950, The Code
brings together four larger-than-life
figures for one charged evening. Tallulah
Bankhead, magnetic and sharp-tongued,
drops in for cocktails with former screen
idol Billy Haines, now a successful
interior designer who may be preparing to
leave Hollywood behind. Their evening is
disrupted by the arrival of powerful agent
Henry Willson and his picture-perfect
protégé Chad Manford. What unfolds is a
tense, witty exploration of ambition,
authenticity, and survival in an industry
governed by unspoken rules – 'the code'
– where image is everything and identity
comes at a cost.
Photo: Rich Lakos
Photos: Johan Persson © Disney
12
Director Renshaw said: 'I am genuinely
excited to be at Southwark Playhouse
Elephant, directing this wonderful quartet
of actors in this equally wonderful play.'
Producer Kierstead called the project
'brilliantly inspiring and timely.'
The Code promises a gripping look at
old Hollywood’s glamour and shadows, a
world described by Tallulah Bankhead
herself as 'a cesspool, darling. Beautifully
lit. Well appointed. But a cesspool
nonetheless.'
www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
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