King Kong

Whilst we were in Melbourne at the weekend, we took advantage of the opportunity to go to the stage show King Kong which has been playing at the Regent Theatre since June. We're glad that we did; it was an unforgettable night.

The story and the music were good, although there wasn't that one show-stopping song that you associate with most musicals. But this was one show where that really didn't matter.

That's because the star of the show was King Kong himself (and the technology that created him), rather than any human star. Now make no mistake; the cast was brilliant. But humans simply can't compete with a one tonne, six metre tall technological miracle like Kong.

In the programme, we read that the producers of the show had debated whether or not it should be an arena show (as with the earlier dinosaurs and dragons) or whether it should be staged in a theatre with a proscenium stage. They chose the right option, as far as we are concerned!

From the moment that Kong first appears in the latter part of the first act, it's hard to take your eyes off him. His range of animatronic facial expressions is extraordinary, and his movements are controlled by black-clad puppeteers on stage, and by cables operated from high above. You can see the scale of the beast in the photo above.

And the overall visual effect is absolutely breathtaking. When he rises to his full height King Kong absolutely dominates the eight metre tall stage. The scene of Kong fighting with the serpent is just stunning. And when Kong picks up Anne Darrow in his palm for the first time (see below), the contrast in size between the beauty and the beast is there for all to see.

The technology of King Kong is absolutely brilliant, and its not just Kong himself. A huge LED screen sits at the back of the stage, not that you'd ever know it. And the 1930's are transformed through spectacular projections and lighting; brought to life by the best technology that live theatre has to offer in the 21st century. As we noted above, the overall visual effect is breathtaking, and quite unlike anything we've ever seen before.

We love visiting Melbourne; it's far and away our favourite Australian city. And being able to catch a show of this quality on a visit there was an absolute bonus. King Kong had its global premiere in Melbourne on 15th June, and we reckon that it will become a global success; it's that good. 

If you happen to be visiting Melbourne over the next wee while, or even if you're thinking of a weekend escape, this one comes with our five-star recommendation!


Disclaimer: We paid for our own tickets to King Kong, and this review is completely our own opinion, untainted by any external influence. We were alerted to the show by a family member who is in the theatre business; and we're glad we were!