King Kong Reviews

Douglas Mason from State College, PA

"KING KONG" AT THE BROADWAY THEATRE

Seeing "King Kong" on Halloween was the capstone of my honeymoon in Boo York City, My wife and I were thoroughly entertained for over two hours by the stagecraft and music,. Kong makes his appearance about a third of the way into the show, and the puppet alone is worth the price of admission. Much more awe inspiring than anything at the Universal Studios theme parks. We were in the seventh row, and when Kong stepped to the edge of the stage at one point, it is truly breath-taking. He is over 20 feet high and weighs more than a ton (it takes 14 puppeteers to seamlessly operate the giant ape). Kong is fierce but doesn't kill anyone in this telling, so take the kids, by all means, I was a little disappointed by the fight scene with a giant snake...I would have preferred a carnivore from "Walking with Dinosaurs." I find it troubling that so many critics panned "King Kong"...I'm a passionate fan of the 1933 film classic and embrace this musical completely. Go see it by April 14.

BSB from New York, New York

KONG IS MAGNIFICENT - AND FUN!

Trust audiences, this show is great and like nothing else on Broadway. Ignore some critics who don't know how to relax and enjoy the spectacular Kong, see if for yourself. You'll enjoy it and the Kong is amazing. Christiani Pitts is also wonderful with a strong Ann Darrow who's no damsel in distress now.

Marie falcinelli from New York, New York

SPECTACULAR

Went to see this show nov 28. This show was visually stunning. the sets, the graphics and the giant king kong. the cast did a great job dancing and singing and the story followed the original film version. Kongs handlers did a tremendous job and received a standing ovation. It took a a huge effort to bring this to the broadway stage, and I for one enjoyed every minute of this epic love story. Go see it it was great!!!!!

Bob Thorne from New York, New York

AMAZING-KING KONG

King Kong is a very entertaining production for Broadway as you can get, no foul language or risk key scenes, pure Americana theater. This is a new direction for Broadway with Graphic and staging, the audience cheered Kong in many scenes and got a standing ovation at the end of the show. The critics of Broadway today have no idea what the American public wants and has a tendency to knock a show unless there are 4 letter words said all during the show. The reviews of newspaper were uncalled for with little mention of the brains that went into putting this show together. The graphics alone should win an Tony award, again I say, if you want pure entertainment and not a message go see King Kong, you will walk out of the theater saying one word, WOW This is a correct review given by a True American theater lover.

LINDA LEVEN WWW.LINDALEVEN.COM from New York, New York

EXCITING! SEE IT!

King Kong was great! The special effects, the lighting, the staging, the ingenious way they did the voyage, showed Kong going up the Empire State, the ending -- all were simply so creative and exciting to watch. The dancing was excellent, the 3 main actors were dynamic and charismatic. The only disappointment was the score. The music existed, but was un-melodious and not very memorable. Still, the show generally was thrilling and fun, and I would advise everyone to see it.

Connie from Westchester, New York

KING KONG

My husband and I went to see King Kong for my birthday in October. All I can say is Wow. Kong was awesome. They have done an amazing job. I thought Kong would be smaller and he is huge. We love the entire cast.

Gw from New York, New York

TEARED UP FOR THE SIMION

Grab the family and go see it. Epic effects, Kong has human feelings and the cast can sing

Kristen from New York, New York

YOU HAVE TO SEE IT!

I am just so amazed at how it all came together so wonderfully. I went to the Halloween show. King Kong and the puppeteers were so impressive to see move on the stage and the emotions he portrayed, wow! I really enjoyed all the choreography and the music... though it was hard to hear the words on a few of the first songs... just seemed like an audio thing that can be missed. I went to. E entertained and I definitely was! I respect all the actors on the stage as there is no way I could ever do anything they did tonight!

from New York, New York

WONDER IS A RARE THING. PARK YOUR CYNICISM AT THE DOOR.

Enjoy a terrific visual imaging of an ageless fairytale.

Carry Spier from New York, New York

NOTHING LIKE IT

The acting and singing were all you would expect on Broadway, excellent. The dancing, however, was unique and special with beautiful execution. And then there was Kong...the Magnificent!!!. There has never been anything like him. Coupled with the lighting and scenery, the audience was mezmerized when we weren't cheering. It was amazing how much emotion was displayed on Kongs face. I think the will have to create a new category of Tony just for Kong.

Sylvia Abdelsalam from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey

KING KONG ON BROADWAY

Wow! Saw this magnificent show last night, October 5th, opening night. The director welcomed us and then we sat back and saw a spectacular work of art! Of course, it could have been done completely as a mechanical piece; but the puppeteers, (along with robotics and stagecraft) made it even more interesting to watch! and I loved it. The movements, size, sound, and set pieces were amazing! I felt like I was on the ship to Skull Island from the get go. Not a dull moment and the acting was superb! The climbing up the Empire State was so mesmerizing, too. Just a few little things...water should be in Kong's hand when given to Ann...didn't see a drop, dirt should be seen when Ann soothes his leg from the bite, (there was nothing), and a bit abrupt from Kong to the Carl and Lumpy scene which has great dialogue between the two. Also, I would have had a blackout right before the end of Act I when Kong goes down...no dialogue..just a blackout. This would make it more powerful. Still loved it!

JoAnn Williams from Newcastle Australia

KING KONG

I saw King Kong live in Melbourne Australia at the World Premier in 2013. The theatre buzzed with excitement and anticipation as people filed into the theatre to await this amazing musical. It all started as any other musical until the explorer team arrived in the jungle. We first knew Kong was approaching by the tremendous roar which resounded through the theatre. The audience erupted into cheers and applause. Goose bumps erupted over my body as the great creature could be heard running through the jungle. Once he appeared the emotion in myself and the audience was clearly visible. The first sighting of Kong brought people to their feet with more intense cheering and applause. I still have goose bumps return to my body every time I tell someone about this amazing experience. Behold New Yorkers you are in for an experience beyond imagination and certainly one that Broadway has never seen before. Hold onto your seats as this is a wild ride.

from New York, New York

GREAT SHOW

This was an excellent show, however it is no Hamilton. It was fabulously entertaining. When you have sympathy for a mechanical gorilla, you know they did a good job. It was an excellent show for adults, and excellent for teens. I highly recommend this show

Sean Attebury from New York, New York

WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION

Bold, innovative and unique. The expert coordination of the team of puppeteers brought a 2000 pound gorilla to life. Kong had personality and the power of the actors performing with him, as well as the puppeteers allowed us to relate to an inanimate object as though it was another actor on stage. The 1930s numbers were the best musical pieces. Seeing the creature bound at full speed through the avenues of Art Deco Manhattan was thrilling. It is a simple story with a simple retelling, but very effective. Early previews may have been clunkier hence some lukewarm early reviews. The preview we saw was honed and refined. I'd go back and sit further up in the orchestra.

A Petrizzo from New York, New York

GREAT EFFECTS, MEDIOCRE STORYTELLING

I am a huge fan of the original 1933 classic so I had very high expectations to see how this would translate live. Let’s start with the positive. The special effects are really impressive. I was excited every time Kong appeared on stage. The sets were also very well done, especially the voyage to Skull Island. The not so positive. For some reason the writers tried to make Ann Darrow some kind of Disney warrior princess. I understand that everyone wants to update a classic but when a formula works, stick with it. Trying to make Ann Darrow a characature of a modern independent women while placing her in a period piece didn’t work for me. I also thought they could have done much more with the musical numbers , again using the time frame as inspiration. Did no one know who Busby Berkeley was in this production? The music was forgettable. So, if you want to see a visually exciting and innovative spectacle go see King Kong, but if you are looking for a beautiful musical, skip it.

Alex from New York, New York

LIKED SOME OF IT

The puppet is amazing. This is not a traditional musical so go in with different expectations. It doesn’t follow the normal rules. There is way too much dancingthat has nothing to do with the story. The direction is all over the place. There were some great songs )just wish they had been better directed / many seem chopped up so much with random dancing going on all the freaking time )...loved the last song called I’m Free or something like that. It made me cry. I also loved the Queen of New York. Liked the modernity of the music. Generally liked it a lot - it’s worth it and if you have kids it’s a great family alternative to Disney.

Geri from New York, New York

LOTS OF FLASH. NO SUBSTANCE.

If you are a fan of the film you will be dissapointed. They completely changed the story line and what was shown fell flat. It just didn't work. The music and the dancing was just horrible. In some parts i just laughed because it was just that bad. It was too busy and the music was not memorable at all. The scenery and the special effects were cool and I applaud them on that. But, Kong was the real saving grace of the show. It was amazing seeing it for the first time He was huge and that roar really did frighten me. The puppeteers can't be avoided and didnt really bother me. It was everything else. I think if you've never seen a Broadway show you would think this was great. But as an avid Broadway fan it just did not hit up to par. I think the show is great for kids or people who have no perception of what Broadway is. Overall, i would not reccomend this show.

Paul miles from New York, New York

KING KONG

positive -fantastic settings and special effects -the ape looked almost human with sad eyes and facial expressions -the lead actress was great although her screams were no match for those of Fay Wray -show had "heart" -audience was enthusiastic negative -midway through the first act the show was interrupted for several minutes by "technical difficulties" as the dinosaur could not be controlled. Could be a recurring problem due to the complex machinery involved -the large number of puppeteers were a distraction and distract from the perfomance -story line can't and doesn't match that of the movie version -tourists will love it but I doubt they will pay the prices needed to recover the $35 million capital investment involved

Nancy from Boston Ma

KING KONG ON BROADWAY

I wish I could say I loved it all. In reality, loved the puppet and the special effects.the story was a classic, retold weakly. No depth of character development, it was all surface and trite. Songs were nothing memorable, and the finale song did not match the theme of the show, if that makes sense. I was surprised when the curtain went down after that, it was that unworthy of designation as the finale. So we left thinking “ great special effects” but that does notmake a great show.

Nor from New York, New York

KING KONG

The special effects of king were amazing. We were mesmerized. The story and music were lame and forgettable. We were bored unless kong was on stage. Could have done a better job with the script.

Broadway fan from New York, New York from New York, New York

SOUND EFFECTS PHENOMENAL

I was excited with the first scene when King Kong appeared ... moving projection was amazingly done but then after that I was disappointed with the visible onstage puppeteers aeralists and steel cables ...definitely distractive. They should have also shown just the front and side view of King Kong ...his back with the exposed mechanical parts/ cables were not meant for the audience to see.Ending was weak .The voyage to Skull Island and the scene of Kong’s climbing to Empire State was impressive tho . Sound effects was phenomenal. As a broadway fan , this show is not on my top list to recommend.

Carole Owen from New York, New York

KONG WAS THE ENTIRE SHOW

We got tickets for this, saw the preview on Oct 20th. Kong himself was very impressive, the effects in general were superb, but the story line, the singing, the DANCING, was lame. Not one song made an impression and didn't seem to have any importance or meaning on the story. Kong doesn't appear until 45 mins into the show, but after that, he is the entire show. Yes they have 10 puppeteers moving him around but I didn't think that took away from him. I think it's worth seeing it just for him and the effects , not the music or storyline.

Terry In DC from Washington, DC

OTHER THAN THE AWESOME PUPPET, NOT MUCH ELSE.

Saw the show October 9. This is one of my favorite American tales and, other than the awesome puppet, there was little other substance. Some dance scenes seemed inappropriate. For example, a Depression era apple cart vendor starts to break dance. There is a scene where Kong battles a giant serpent which reminded me of Chinese New Year dragon. No memorable songs, weak story line. Radio Theater did a spoken version several years ago that brought me to tears.

Keith from Jersey

IT WAS BEAUTY THAT KILLED THE BEAST AND THIS SHOW

Think War Horse without the magnificent dialogue and riveting story. It's a decent puppet show, not a good Broadway Musical. The puppeteers are distracting, even from my last row seat., The story is basic, the songs uninspiring. The acting, perhaps fueled by a weak script, especially in the first act, is not very convincing. On the positive side the second act is better than the first and Kong gets the audience excited every time he's on stage, due to the special effects. His roar is genuine and heartfelt. The female whom he builds a special relationship with, has a roar that is unemotional and embarrassing. You can feel his pain. Her guilt, on the other hand, that is caused by her betrayal, is not truly felt by the audience. This version of Kong may appeal to the tourist, but not to a true Broadway goer.

Visitor to Skill Island from New York, New York

WEAK BOOK, REPETITIVE CHOREOGRAPHY, BUT A GREAT KONG

King Kong and the 8-10 people that made him look so real deserved truly the only standing ovation, of which that was it Granted this is only day 15 of their preview period, but there are a lot of things that just don’t work. Book is incomplete and scenes that drag the show and, quite frankly, stopped the momentum completely. The show just ends and you are like, “is that the end?” Choreography had some good bits, but was repetitive and had people constantly sliding around the floor. There was one whole scene that was all dancing, no singing, and I said out loud “that was stupid” (oops). The music had a few nice songs, but other than that, nothing to remember and some of the lyrics were really bad. No set per se, but great projections and they do a cool thing with the voyage to Skull Island. The female lead was miscast and the two male leads just didn’t have much to work with. Kong is truly the star of this show and there were moments that you actually had goosebumps.

Stacey from New York, New York

SPECIAL EFFECTS DON'T MAKE UP FOR WEAK PLOT AND CAST

I agree with review by Ray Nazzarro. While we stayed for the whole thing, the story was very weak as was the cast. And although Kong was interesting at first, I agree that the people working to move Kong jumping around the stage was very distracting. The only audience members that seemed to really enjoy the show were the boys aged 8- 13 in the audience

Ray Nazzaro from New York, New York

SO BAD I LEFT BEFORE IT WAS OVER.

The choreography, musical scores and dialog are very sub-standard for a Broadway production. The Kong puppet was impressive but the on-stage puppeteers were a great distraction. I could ignore the cables that support Kong but a half dozen puppeteers running around and crawling on Kong's back ruined the experience. Surely more animatronics could have solved this. If you are a tourist you may like it but for regular theater goers like me you'll probably be dissapointed. Professional critic reviews will be in early November. I expect 5 out of 5 thumbs down and an early closing for this beast of a show.

Zman from New York, New York

KING KONG

Musical Fan from New York, New York gets 4 stars because he said it the best, Great Effects, Weak Story Teller

Musical Fan from New York, New York

BEAUTIFUL EFFECTS, WEAK RETELLING

Kong the beast is amazing to see. The effect of seeing and hearing this masterful presentation of an icon is astonishing and exciting. Wish that I could say the same about the music and the retelling of the story, which is a mess. And I pity the poor actress who must both sing and scream as Ann Darrow - how she will keep that up show after show, I've no idea. My son and I saw the second NYC preview. It was worth it to pay for some of the cheaper seats, just to experience the beast, but I wouldn't fork out full price. Sorry, but really a musical needs one songwriter/composer with individual vision, and not a "team" cobbling together a forgettable "score".

David from New York, New York

MONKEY BUSINESS

the producers were so involved in the monkey, they forgot to write a show.....simply awful. not one good song, lousy twist on the story....Ann was a blonde screamer, replaced by a powerful woman....silly and politically correct....silly and unnecessary. I was embarrassed for the actors

Pete from New York, New York

KING DEAD ON ARRIVAL

One of the biggest wastes of money ever thrust upon a stage. Ego and arrogance have driven this ape of a musical to New York. Appalling songs by Eddie Perfect (an amateur lyricist at best) and just the mess of ideas with no clear narrative or purpose other than to con hapless folk into forking over their cash with claims of spectacle. The puppet is impressive, for 5 minutes. The remaining two hours in the theater you’ll be wishing for a quick death - either yours or the apes.

Jim Krelbourn from New York, New York

A MOST WRETCHED EVENING ON BROADWAY

The new.musical of King Kong (yes, a concept as ridiculous as it sounds) is currently in previews at The Broadway Theatre in New York. It looks like a fifth grade teacher wrote a spring pageant version of Kong and someone threw fifteen million dollars at it. Sometimes you just want the story to be the story you know and love. By pumping it with the "appropriate" girl-power, natural conservation, anachronistic contemporary choreography etc. it becomes a show that doesn't even know what it wants to be. If you're going to set the show in 1931 I don't want to see break dancing. While on the subject of the choreography, it's all very athletic and "dancy" but none of it is character-driven. The music was so loud it was pure distortion. The tunes are utterly unmemorable, and seem so contrived. There are few actual characters in the show, and none of them are likable. The Anne Darrow character is saddled with weak monologues to imply communication with the twenty-foot puppet. It doesn't work

John Tucker from New York, New York

NOT WORTHY OF BROADWAY

Weak and dreary script, mediocre leads, amateurish choreography, uncompelling unmemorable music but a puppet that stole the show despite distracting stage hands crawling all over it to keep it animated. It's just not deserving of all the hype and I predict cruel media reviews and an early demise. It is just NOT worthy of Broadway but might impress tourists where this is their unfortunate and undeserved initiation to the theater. Am sorry for the creators and "angels" here who no doubt went into this gamble with heart and soul and big hopes. But it was all so very misguided with a such feeble and unremarkable and disappointing vehicle like this.

Irene from New York, New York

MAYBE A TONY FOR SET DESIGN

Show did not excite me. I see many shows, some several times. Once was enough for King Kong

Willoughbabe from New York, New York

CRINGE KONG

I was very excited to see how King Kong on Broadway would be, because the idea of such a beast on stage, and all the behind-the-scenes footage of the puppeteering looked extremely impressive. Seeing him on stage truly was spectacular, for like ten minutes. The show begins with a lame opening number with characters you feel absolutely nothing for, and dancers you end up feeling bad for because they had to dance in EVERY. SINGLE. NUMBER. Not to mention the music that no one will ever sing along to, or remember. It's such a shame that the most impressive puppeteering and set design that I've seen in my entire life was ruined by some of the most underwhelming writing, choreography, score. And the puppet WAS MAGNIFICENT, which should give you an idea of how bad these performances were. The script was filled with tired tropes, explicated subtext, and plot threats that went nowhere. The choreography was overindulgent. The score was thematically incoherent. See it? No Seats? Good Guests? No

RM from New York, New York

STAY AWAY

If you are a real NY theater lover, stay away from this one. I will admit that the special effects are outstanding but that does not make up a good show. The dancing is the same number over and over again and adds nothing to the production. The female star has a good voice but it is impossible to understand what she is saying in her songs. There is not one memorable song in the score at all. What is a Broadway Show without something to sing!!! If you want to go to see the special affects, go but don't buy the expensive seats. In truth, I was amazed that the audience the.night I was there stood up to give the performance a standing ovation. It was definitely not for the show itself but for Kong!

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