As Disney prepares to launch its next juggernaut musical, Isobel Lewis speaks to the creatives and cast about the herculean task of translating the Greek myth cartoon to the stage – and why being faithful to the source material isn’t always the way to go
For months now, the phrase “Muse Flash” has been appearing around London. With every sighting of these words and the accompanying cartoon lightning bolt, I’m reminded just how much money is being pumped into ensuring the success of the new musical adaptation of Disney’s Hercules. It appears to be working: previews sold out months in advance and an extended run until March 2026 has already been announced. Commercial victory is all but guaranteed. But a hit to the tune of The Lion King or the recently closed Frozen? Well, that remains to be seen….
Hercules was an integral character to get right, particularly given the inherent challenges for casting. In the cartoon, the character first appears as a gangly teenager before bulking up mid-power ballad – evolving into “Hunk-eles” as the Muses call him. American director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw, who has been at the helm of the production since its inception, was not keen on either using technical trickery or swapping out the Hercules actor to mimic the physical transformation, meaning they needed their perfect hero from the jump. They found it in Brady, who previously starred in another cartoon-to-stage production as Moses in the London production of DreamWorks’ Prince of Egypt.
“He walked in the room and no joke, we all just grabbed each other,” Nicholaw recalls, giddily. With his good looks and warm presence, Brady certainly seems a good fit for the teen demigod; teaser clips of the actor belting from the soundtrack prove he’s got the pipes for the part, too….”