Yet another musical version of a successful film from back in the day and though they rarely miss, not all hit. The production values are usually high and this is no exception. A superb set consisting chiefly of brightly coloured Japanese screens propelled around by cast members creates the different sets; the arcade where Daniel meets Freddie Fernadez and first encounters Ali, the Larusso household, Mr Miyagi’s den, the Cobra Kai gym and so on. It’s visually thrilling with some sharp light changes, the choreography, skilfully incorporating elements of the Okinawan martial discipline, exciting and well-executed. Gino Ochello is perfectly competent as Daniel, as is Abigail Amin as Ali but it’s with quiet authority that Adrian Pang steers the ship in an unexpectedly gentle comic manner as Mr Miyagi. All can sing too but there’s no ‘catch-your-breath’ moments and maybe it’s because the songs – well rendered by a tight band – are unremarkable, slightly saccharine, similar to those that soundtracked many a Nickelodeon/Schneider TV series – but plainer.
Some genuine emotion surfaced in the second act as it was revealed how Mr Miyagi had arrived at his station in life and the significance of the Kabuki spirits guiding him became evident. Matt Mills delivered a suitably traumatised and ruthless John Kreese and in tandem with Johnny Lawrence (Joe Simmons) the two-person axis of evil effectively drew the audience’s antagonism. This was a family show with broad brush stroke drama, comedy and tragedy. That some panto-esque interaction occurred as the show reached its climax with the All Valleys Karate competition was no surprise, nor was the unrestrained audience joy when Daniel finally triumphed.
It was a good show, everything was in the right place, and it didn’t break any rules… but it didn’t trouble any boundaries either.
Reviewer: Roger Jacobs
Reviewed: 23rd June 2026
North West End UK Rating: