Interview: 'Sword Fighting? No Problem!': Actor Max Harwood on THE LIGHTNING THIEF: THE PERCY JACKSON MUSICAL

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical has been taking The Other Palace by storm since it opened in November 2024. Recently, we had the chance to speak with Max Harwood, who plays Percy Jackson, the titular hero of the tale who goes on a quest after discovering the truth behind his parentage. We discussed how he first got into theatre, his love for the world of Percy Jackson and which Greek god would be his godly parent.

How did you first get started in the world of theatre?

Well, my first introduction to theatre was going to see a musical in London. I went to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the Palladium. That was the first show that I ever saw. But it was my mum that dragged me by my feet to the local youth theatre group in my hometown and I started doing shows with them when I was a kid. I went through normal school, normal sixth form. I did my A-Level, I did art, photography and music history. Then my theatre studies teacher was like, “You should go to drama school.” And I was like, “Drama school . . . What's that? That sounds like good fun!”

And then from there, I was lucky enough to get a scholarship from my local theatre bursary in Basingstoke to go and study at the Guildford School of Acting, where I did one year. That was really my birth into knowing anything about theatre and acting. I went on to another school for two years, and then I did an open audition for the Everybody’s Talking About Jamie movie, which Shaheen Baig had posted on Twitter. I was late to the deadline, but I just emailed like, “Please see me! I'd love to try and do this role.” And luckily, they hadn't found anyone - I auditioned, I got the job and that was my birth into the industry. And then I’ve just been hopping about doing bits since 2019!

It’s a bit of a unique journey with this show, starting with a film version of a musical and then going to the stage!

That was a baptism of fire, really. I feel that that experience really set me up for working under pressure and high-stakes environments. Actual theatre, being live every night, you have the high stakes of, “It's all on you, and it's time for you to do it!” But with a movie, specifically a movie musical, there was an immense amount of pressure, both externally from the expectation of what the film was going to be, but then also the logistical stuff of, you don't have a cover, you don't have an understudy on a film set - if you're sick or not able to do your job, that's a lot of money that gets wasted. So it was a lot of pressure. Since then, I've had to go back and fill in the gaps of what I would have done before landing such a huge opportunity. It's been amazing!

And so what made you want to be a part of The Lightning Thief? Had you been familiar with the Percy Jackson series?

My first introduction to the series was the first movie that came out. It was really strange because I remember the first scene in the movie, which is a shot of Percy in the swimming pool, under the water. And when I saw that, I remembered being a kid on holiday and being underwater. And I was like, “Oh my God, I feel so seen by this movie!” But then it was about this unlikely hero. When I was a kid, I didn't liken that to my experience of my sexuality, which is what it has developed into as I’ve become an adult.

But I definitely felt very different to other kids. And this whole series about this group of kids that feel slightly alienated by the world that they live in, I was like, “Wow, I really relate to this series!” And then reading Rick's book series . . . It's such a diverse group of characters in the book, from race to sexuality. His exploration of “other” within his books has always been so exciting to me. When the opportunity to do this show came about, it was this crazy situation where I had done a few movies, I'd done a TV show and I'd done a play, and I was like, “I really would love to do a musical!” But for me, it's finding the right material that really serves my skill set, being someone who's more of a pop singer than a musical theatre singer, finding that role that really suits me. When this project came along, I was like, “This feels strangely full circle! This feels like the perfect opportunity to do the musical.” So I was really excited when it came up.

And for those unfamiliar with the series or the show, can you tell us a bit about the show and the character you play? 

Yeah! So Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is about this young boy who discovers that he is a demigod - a child of Poseidon. He's had an absent father his whole life, and as as he grows into a teenager, he starts to attract more monsters because his godly side is coming through. So his mom has to send him to this camp where he meets lots of other people who are like him. One thing leads to another, and he gets accused of stealing Zeus's lightning bolt. He goes on this magical epic quest to try and retrieve Zeus’s lightning bolt, to clear his name and to help his friends achieve what they want to achieve as well, which comes together in this crazy, magic, epic, exciting, hilariously funny show that we do at The Other Palace every night.

What has it been like taking on this role, having been a fan of the book series?

I really try and tune out any noise about projects when I work on them. I worked on [Everybody’s Talking About] Jamie and I worked on Stranger Things [The First Shadow], both projects that had a lot of expectation that came with them. And then when they did come out, there was lots of noise about them. Similarly, with this, there's an expectation of it already existing, that it's got to be something. So my approach when taking on the role was that because I love it so much, and I'm going to be able to pour in my own experience to it, I just have to meet the script and the character with the knowledge that I have of the world, trust my creative team, who were so brilliant in pulling together the elements, and just have fun. It's such a fun show. My job is just to exist freely within the world and in the parameters of the material. And I was really lucky that I believed in the material and the source material - I just get to go on stage and have fun every night!

So you’ve been in performances for a few weeks now. How has that been?

Truthfully, I really underestimated how exhausted I would be! It's a really hard, physically demanding role. I have done eight shows a week - I haven't had to ever sing eight shows a week! So that's been a new, challenging and exciting experience for me physically, as I've been singing this high score. It's been incredible.

Seeing the sea of Camp Half-Blood T-shirts and people coming in cosplay . . . It’s unlike anything I've ever been in before. And Stranger Things was mad! People came dressed up in Hellfire merch and all sorts of stuff, but it's got a huge cult following, this world, and I completely understand why, being a fan of it. It's such a joy to go out and feel almost held by the fandom as we're doing the show. Jess is singing “My Grand Plan” in Act Two and I remember last week there was a girl in the front row who was mouthing along to all the words... it's been joyous. It's been really fun. 

You've been in these two shows that have major fandoms already existing. What is it like interacting with these fans?

I just feel really lucky, if I'm honest! I feel like I've really landed on my feet with the projects that I've like stepped into that the fandom already exists and is already giving so much love to the material - they are really enjoying what we're doing, which is great. They're transferable fans as well! There's so many Stranger Things fans that have been coming to see Percy Jackson. It's really incredible. They're both projects about a group of kids that feel that they don't have a place that they fit in, or they're in a place that they want to escape from - Hawkins being the place to escape from. 

I feel very grateful because we as actors and as creative people, we do this because we love storytelling - we love telling stories. So when there's any opportunity for an audience to feel seen or to appreciate or to value what you're doing creatively, it's really exciting. It's all you can really ask for as a creative person, for anyone to respond well to what you're doing.

So when you were preparing for this role, did you go back and reread the series? Or did you try to keep it as separate as possible from the show?

I'd read one to five, which is from The Lightning Thief to The Last Olympians because The Chalice of the Gods wasn't out. 

I'm currently reading The Sun and the Star, which is the Nico D'Angelo, son of Hades, queer novel, which is about Nico and his boyfriend, Will Solace, who's the son of Apollo. My vibe when I prepare for anything is to world-build before and give myself as much context as possible so that when I go into a process, I can throw it all out of the window and forget it. If I can know the knowledge and it can exist, what I'm doing is already informed without it being contrived. Because essentially, when you get a script or you get a song, you can only really execute what's on the page - anything extra that lives inside you from context is great. So yeah, I did go back and reread, because it was an excuse to reread the books, but also build on the original series that I'd read when I was younger. 

Do you have any favourite scenes or songs from the show? 

Do you know what? They change every night! The whole cast, there's only twelve of us, and we're all incredibly close. But I'm having real fun with Jess, who plays Annabeth. There's a scene after “Put You In Your Place,” which is the Capture the Flag scene of the show. It's really when we see Percy and Annabeth come up against each other a little bit and realise that their curiosity about each other is really heightening their emotions. We have good fun in that scene!

And then we have a scene in Act Two, just before her song, “My Grand Plan,” where she’s teaching Percy how to hold a sword, which is also a really fun scene. She's an absolutely brilliant actress and an incredible human, so it's been really fun to get to work with her. And give Percy Jackson fans a new “Percabeth” to root for, which has been really exciting!

Did you have to learn sword fighting for this show?

Yes! Sword fighting? No problem! [Laughs] I did just a little bit. We had an amazing fight coach [Lisa Connell] who came in and worked with us. And actually, I did a fight workshop when I was at GSA, and Lisa was the one that came in years ago. She taught that workshop that week, and when she came into rehearsals, I was like, “I know you!” So that was really fun.

Who would be your godly parent? 

Apollo, 100%! In Rick's world, Apollo's voice in the Trials of Apollo series is probably the closest to my voice - he's this quick-witted fast thinker. I love that series and I love music, so I’d probably pick Apollo. Though I love Poseidon! I love being by the beach, I love a beach holiday, I love being by the pool. I love water! I drink so much water these days - ph9 water, drinking as much of it as I humanly possibly can consume in a day. 

What do you hope audiences take away from The Lightning Thief?

It's really hard because there's so many different places that the show goes! Obviously, I hope that they go away entertained more than anything. But if we're talking about the messaging of the show, I think it's largely about allowing young people to take the reins and feel responsible for their own self, the thoughts they have, how they conduct themselves in the world and how they use their voice going forward.

I remember when I was first looking at the show, I was watching a podcast that our wonderful writer, Rob Rokicki, had spoken on about “Bring On the Monsters” and about how it was about being open to things going wrong and taking the reins. The messaging behind that is really important. We live in a world right now that's so polarised by politics and everything - any show that can in a fun, comedic, entertaining and light-hearted way tackle any tiny portion of putting that message into the world is really special and exciting. 

And finally, how would you describe The Lightning Thief in one word?

Epic!

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is booking until 31 August 2025 at The Other Palace.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan