Girl power, Greek-style, will be out in force at Abbey Theatre this week when The Company of Teens performs epic tale The Odyssey.

It might not be quite what Homer had in mind, but the sisters are definitely doing it for themselves in a new stage adaptation of his classic tale, with all the gods played by girls.

The move echos headlines this week about hammer-weilding god Thor who creators Marvel have controversially transformed the character from male to female.

But Ian Jordon, leader of the St Albans group, which is an offshoot of The Company of Ten, who adapted Homer’s poem for the stage, admits the decision to turn the gods into goddesses was partly pragmatic.

“What do you do when the girls in the group vastly outnumber the boys?” he says.

“Finding plays that have enough meaty roles for the talented girls in the group is always a challenge. With The Odyssey, we knew that we had a truly epic story, but it’s a very male-heavy piece so we had to use some inventive casting.”

This version of the tale sees a female Zeus, played by Emily Horton-Harpin, heading up Olympus Incorporated, where business suit-clad women literally run the world. As Odysseus struggles to return home to his wife and son after the Trojan War, Zeus and her fellow goddesses tussle for control of the mortals.

“It’s an interesting concept that gives a new twist to a traditional idea,” says Emily. “It also fits with the modern-day changes in society giving women more rights.”

But while the girls in this production are definitely in charge, the boys also get their chance to shine, both as heroic and comic characters.

“With the amount of talent on display in this production, we’re confident that this will be an eventful Odyssey for both the cast and the audience,” says Ian.

Abbey Theatre Studio, Westminster Lodge, Holywell Hill, St Albans, Thursday, July 17 and Friday, July 18. Details: 01727 857861, abbeytheatre.org.uk