Disney’s Hercules: A Musical Misfire

Introduction to the Musical

Disney made Hercules in the nineties, a time when it deviated from its typical one-dimensional princesses and holy forest pictures in favor of fresh stories. The film’s glorious left field hit, combining old Greece with a gospel choir, outlined its characters with the spiky clarity of amphora paintings, and converted the rise of the hero into a pacy satire of celebrity culture. Unfortunately, there is nothing of the same imaginative energy in this serious new stage version of Hercules.

Lackluster Villain and Uninspired Set Design

In the film, Hades and his monstrous hells were a central experience, but even a court of angels would not be happy with Stephen Carlile’s television-like evocation of the ruler of the Underworld. Instead of trading in human souls, Carlile’s Hades seems to be peddling kitchen appliances on QVC. The crone-tastic trio of the original Fates has been replaced with Hades hacking away at ropes that represent human life, while two silk scarves in a pyramid of light insufficiently dominate the countless souls. The set design, handled by Dane Laffrey, is excessively tasteful and weakly joyless, spreading the stage with projections of Greek mosaics and cumbersome giant columns.

Shining Stars in a Lackluster Show

When the darkness disappears, thanks to the gods for the sparkling brightness of star Luke Brady as Hercules. He is campy and happy in a collection of really bizarre Greek staircases, complete with a tracksuit that was apparently made from old bandages and bunion-friendly orthopedic sandals. The outstanding song from the film, "Go the Distance," is fantastic here, full of pep and longing. The Muses are also beautiful, illuminating the show with their winding harmonies, fabulous Motown party-worthy outfits, and general clowning. Hercules’ underpinned romance with Meg (a stoic, Xena-like Mae Ann Jorolan) adds a serious thrust through the heartbreaking ballad "I Will Not Say (I’m in Love)," beautifully staged in a garden filled with topiary, where the Muses appear and flit about like tipsy fairies.

Inconsistent Script and Modernization Attempts

When the music stops, the warmth of this show evaporates. The authors, Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah, have an incoherent update in history, flirting with modernization before deciding on somewhat infinitely more trades. The script is peppered with individuals who seem to have wandered in from completely different shows. This implemented story is not exactly calculated to inspire the hearts of the millennials who grew up with the film and the children who will accompany them.

Conclusion and Future Performances

Disney has made many attempts to create a West End hit to match director Julie Taymor’s visionary The Lion King. Hercules has two things that stop it from going the distance: a lack of stagecraft to create moments of real awe and amazement, and a lack of consistency in a script that does not have a coherent attitude towards who these mythical figures are and why we should care about them. The film took an environment about which most of the audience knew nothing and made it lovable, converting the distant, impersonal glory of ancient Greece into something warm, modern, and culturally relevant. The huge, almost exclusively male creative team of this musical has found no way to replicate this Herculic performance. Disney’s Hercules will play from June 24th to March 28th, 2026, at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.