Review: THE KARATE KID THE MUSICAL at the Princess of Wales Theatre

Most children of the 80s grew up with certain movies, The Karate Kid was one of them. Directed by Donald G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, the coming-of-age story follows David LaRusso, who uprooted with his hardworking mom from Newark, New Jersey, to sunny LA. In his hopes to shed the new kid in town stigma, David catches the eye of popular cheerleader Ali Mills while also incurring the wrath of her ex-boyfriend Johnny Lawrence. After being bullied and beaten, David is saved by Mr. Miyagi, the superintendent in David's building and secret karate sensei who shows David his true calling.

The movie was a cult-classic from the 80s which spawned three other Karate Kid sequels, an animated series, and a spin-off series Cobra Kai. If that weren't enough for fans of the franchise, the story is now brought live on stage in The Karate Kid the Musical, directed by Amon Miyamoto with new music by Drew Gasparini, now playing at the Princess of Wales Theatre.

In the stage production, Gino Ochello takes on the title role of David LaRusso, who approaches the role with the wide-eyed determination and gumption expected from a kid like LaRusso, a fish out of water trying to find his way. Ochello is likely pulling from lived experience considering he is also making his debut stage performance with The Karate Kid the Musical - his inherent rawness reflects well in the character. 

That rawness from Ochello manages to juxtapose the performance from Adrian Pang, who takes on the role of sage mentor Mr. Miyagi, exceptionally well. Pang is a seasoned and award-winning stage actor and the refinery in his acting prowess lends Mr. Miyagi the quiet stillness of a troubled man with a wealth of knowledge. When it comes to the music, Mr. Miyagi is a foreigner whose English is accented and slightly broken and originally, I was concerned that would reflect in his musical performances but thankfully, it doesn't and Pang takes on the vocal performances with passion.

On the opposite end of the mentor spectrum is John Kreese, played by Matt Mills, the sensei of Cobra Kai where Johnny Lawrence learns karate. The motto of Cobra Kai is Strike Fast, Strike Hard, No Mercy - words that Kreese lives and breathes by to the detriment of not only his students' opponents but his students themselves. Kreese teaches karate with the precision of a drill sergeant and Mills takes on this character the same way. His portrayal of Kreese is frightening and the textbook definition of a bully, that Mills approaches with aplomb.

The ensemble have truly outdone themselves in this production in particular for the sheer athleticism required for the choreography. I'm particularly drawn to the use of dancers who, in essence, portray the chi - the life energy - drawn upon when Mr. Miyagi and LaRusso use karate as the dancers help support and shadow the movements from the actors making for a satisfying visual effect.

If you are a fan of the original movie, if you're a fan of new musicals, The Karate Kid the Musical is a fun adventure for adults and young teens alike.

Photo Credit: Dahlia Katz