LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Disney ( DIS ) takes London

audiences back to Ancient Greece with its new musical

"Hercules", bringing alive its 1997 animation on the West End

stage.

Showing at composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's Theatre Royal

Drury Lane, the show is inspired by the much-loved Disney ( DIS ) film,

itself based on the ancient myth.

It follows the titular character and son of Zeus who, upon

losing his immortality as a baby due to the plotting Hades, god

of the underworld, goes from zero to hero to stop his uncle from

taking over.

"It's a myth that reflects contemporary culture and still

honours the DNA of (the) animated movie," Robert Horn, who wrote

the show's book with Kwame Kwei-Armah, told Reuters late on

Tuesday at the musical's press night.

"It's its own new thing and yet fans of the movie will

absolutely come and recognise it and love it."

Central to the show are the five Muses, who sing their way

through the story with energetic gospel-like tunes and plenty of

costume changes.

"I think I speak for all of us ... we have idolized these

women. We have looked at these women and seen ourselves in times

when we weren't really represented," actor Malinda Parris, who

plays Calliope, said. "So being able to be that representation

for other young girls ... who ... want to be The Muses ... it's

living the dream."

The show differs from the movie in several ways, including

Hercules' mentor, Phil, no longer being a satyr but a taverna

owner.

"The main thing is that he still is there ... to love and

support Hercules on his journey," actor Trevor Dion Nicholas

said.

"It really is about building this bond between the two of

them that kind of builds this paternal relationship that I think

we were able to deepen more so than the animated film was."

"Hercules" is the latest Disney ( DIS ) stage adaptation in London,

showing in the same theatre where the hit show "Frozen" ran up

until last year.

It features songs written by Oscar-winning composer Alan

Menken and lyricist David Zippel from the animation, including

"Go the Distance" and "Zero to Hero", as well as new tunes.