Of course, I have heard of the very popular series of Percy Jackson novels written for young people, but I’ve never read them, so I wasn’t sure what I was going to see as I took my seat in the Performing Arts studio at the Isle of Wight College. It’s a relatively small stage space, but the back hanging depicting a classical scene with Romanesque columns gave atmosphere straight away. The rest of the set was simple – just a raised dais at the back and two stage blocks moved by the cast – but was used perfectly to aid the storytelling.

The cast of 19 worked seamlessly as a team to present the story: each one not only formed part of the chorus at different points in the show but also portrayed at least one, and up to four, characters along the way. The only exception was Ember Sunnucks who took the title role of Percy Jackson throughout and carried the bulk of the show’s story. Ember was the perfect choice for this role and absolutely shone: she has a strong, powerful voice whether speaking or singing, and portrayed Percy’s emotional roller coaster of a life wonderfully.

Cally Parry as Annabeth and Elle Bass as Grover supported Ember well as the friends who accompany Percy through his discovery that he is half human, half immortal, the son of the sea god Poseidon, and his journey to find and recapture Zeus’s lightning bolt, which he is accused of stealing. Cally’s clear soprano voice and emotional delivery engaged the audience, and both girls, like Ember, had clear diction which could be heard by the audience.

We met several immortal beings in the show, and some simple costume choices indicated who they were – I particularly liked Finn Parsons revealing his tail as he informed Percy that although he appeared to be mild-mannered teacher Mr Brunner, he was in fact Chiron the centaur. I also enjoyed the choreography throughout the show.

Other standout performances were Charlotte Harfield as Percy’s mother, doubling as a taxi driver – the mother/son relationship was beautifully portrayed, especially when they were reunited at the end; and Grace Okoye’s powerful rendition of The Oracle was a highlight of the show – her fabulous vocals soared through the auditorium.

However, the whole cast contributed to what was very much an ensemble show, and their support for each other and camaraderie came across to the audience, who gave a rousing round of applause at the end. Well done to the students and to the staff who have guided and coached them to produce this great piece of theatre.