There are some awe-inspiring visuals in the new musical King Kong based on the 1933 classic film starring Fay Wray. Considered a landmark horror movie notable for its special effects, how could this iconic movie which contains scenes of a mammoth-sized ape wreaking havoc on New York City possibly be staged? And musicalized? The very good news for the show is that the effects and visuals are truly impressive. Extraordinary might even be a better word for the technical achievements on display. The very, very bad news for King Kong is that the musical is disappointingly bad.
The promising opening shows a black and white 1931 New York City. Skyscrapers are being built higher and higher. The steel beams rise on both sides of the stage. The music is moody and effective. The large ensemble sets the time and place. I become immediately invested to see where this show would travel next. When the leads enter and the too contemporary book and generic songs are introduced, the story turns into a gloriously expensive and dumbed down theme park show.
There are enjoyments along the way, especially the ocean travel aboard the SS Wanderer, another visual treat. Through the use of projections, the audience is taken for a ride on this incredible journey. Drew McOnie directed and choreographed King Kong. Many moments are eye-filling. The fluid movement by this large ensemble was interesting and rather unique. That filled some space when the awesome Kong was not on stage in his star “performance.”
The only character in the show with any set of dimensions on display is the magnificent beast. His sheer size truly overwhelms the proscenium. A large crew manipulates the puppet much more than just physically. The monster is expressive and emotive with its eyes, mouth and voice. Kong is by far the most fully realized performance here, both exciting during the action scenes and tender-hearted during the intimate ones.
Do I recommend a visit to this show? I’m glad that I saw it, the stagecraft was often spectacular. As a musical though, King Kong does not deliver the goods. If only this had been staged as a musically scored play with a lot more believable tension emanating from the human actors, this could have been an adventure to remember. As it stands now, wait for discount tickets if you are a Broadway junkie who always has time for groundbreaking stagecraft wasted on a bad show.