“An engrossing story about authentic relationships and a Broadway spectacle with impressive special effects...This ‘King Kong’ adds some interesting tweaks, ones that are empowering to Ann. And the special effects are breathtaking...This version has less cultural baggage...There are no ‘savage’ tribes nor is there the implicit racism in the Kong-Ann dynamic...A big step forward for empathy, for women’s empowerment, and for technical accomplishments in puppetry.”
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"This is the underlying strength of the production: The extreme ability of the creator and well-trained handlers to actually elicit a sense of emotion through a puppet and with a message...Christiani Pitts is a highly energized spitfire with a soaring voice and the huge cast is remarkable...Maybe it’s just good to have an old iconic story unite with a more contemporary touch and as a reminder at a time when kindness, caring, and gentility should be at the forefront of everyone’s agenda."
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“A visual feast...And it’s not all about the two-thousand pound gorilla in the room. Although his presence is magnificent, the entire production team has been touched by magic and the marvels start when the curtain rises...Unfortunately, the story is identical to the original movie and is still as weak and ridiculous...There’s a very endearing big gorilla with sad, expressive eyes who I guarantee you will fall in love with. And there’s amazing, innovative stagecraft. And that’s enough for me.”
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"There are tremendous failures within the show, and although the mechanics astound, the overall journey, as directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie is a shipwreck, leaving us slightly stunned and slack-jawed, washed up on the shore saddened by the destruction around us...The music, lyrics, and story, in general are far from perfect, descending into something surprisingly flat footed...When King Kong arrives, we rejoice, as we are finally given a reason to pay attention."
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"Mr. Thorne has written the weakest part of the collaboration, but with all due respect it truly does not diminish the effort put forth since nothing new has been exposed since the original story and at its worst, some sequences are just frivolous and unnecessary...It is not a negative comment to admit that this incredible creature really does steal the show. This is an unprecedented spectacular event that is worthy of a Broadway stage."
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"If this 'King Kong' resists camp, there are several savory moments of meta-theatrical wit...The songs by Eddie Perfect are an appealing, eclectic mix of jazz, Broadway ballad and pop, brought home by a talented ensemble executing some some catchy if standard Broadway choreography...Perfect’s songs are perfectly adequate, but I’ll go further: They are the right fit...The effort to bring that puppet to life is extraordinary, unprecedented, and the payoff is glorious."
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“’King Kong’s’ greatest accomplishment is in its most intimate moments when we can revel in the animatronic wonder of Kong’s facial expressions. Those larger-than-life sad eyes will melt your heart, a reminder of what King Kong has long represented...racism and oppression. But when Kong has to run...no amount of technology or actors can...make it believable. Instead, he lumbers along, as if he’s stumbled out of Rudy’s dive bar...after one too many...wishing, like us, that this was all a dream.”
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"The more time Kong spends on the stage (and it's ultimately too much), the less scary he feels. Instead, one comes to realize the show's creators are trying way too hard to terrify you through something that belongs in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, or better yet a theme park in Orlando -- and helped even less in its mission by the fact that its human handlers are so obviously visible."
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