The Karate Kid – The Musical Review: Kicking with Heart, But Not Every Move Lands
There are some stories that feel like a natural fit for the stage. The Karate Kid certainly has all the ingredients. It's packed with heart, memorable characters and one of the most recognisable underdog stories in cinema. Translating such an iconic film into a musical, however, is no easy task.
Now playing at Wales Millennium Centre as part of its UK premiere tour, The Karate Kid – The Musical delivers a production full of exceptionally talented performers, striking visuals and plenty of nostalgia. Yet despite all of that, it never quite reaches the emotional or theatrical heights it promises.
The standout performance comes from Adrian Pang as Mr. Miyagi. He captures the character's warmth, wisdom and dry humour perfectly, bringing genuine charm to every scene. His comedic timing is impeccable, earning some of the biggest laughs of the evening without ever losing the sincerity that makes Miyagi such a beloved character.
Alongside him, Gino Ochello shines as Daniel LaRusso. Vocally he is outstanding, delivering a powerful and expressive performance throughout. His voice is one of the production's greatest strengths and I could happily have listened to him sing for much longer. He brings plenty of heart to Daniel's journey and proves himself to be a compelling leading man.
In fact, the cast as a whole are incredibly accomplished. There isn't a weak performance on the stage. The acting, singing and commitment from every performer is clear, making it frustrating that the production surrounding them doesn't always match their talents.
“has plenty of heart and some genuinely memorable performances”
Where I found myself struggling was with the direction. Many scenes felt surprisingly rigid, almost as though dialogue was being delivered according to a set formula rather than flowing naturally between characters. Conversations rarely felt spontaneous, with exchanges often becoming predictable in their rhythm. Instead of drawing me further into the story, I found myself becoming increasingly aware of the mechanics behind each scene.
The choreography was another area where I felt a huge opportunity had been missed.
For a musical centred around karate, discipline and movement, I expected the physical language of martial arts to be woven into the choreography in exciting and inventive ways. Instead, the dance numbers often felt disconnected from the story being told. A handful of familiar karate poses were sprinkled throughout routines that otherwise leaned heavily into contemporary and hip hop styles. Rather than creating a fresh fusion of movement, the combination never quite found its identity.
That issue carried into the fight scenes as well.
These should be the production's defining moments, yet they often lacked the precision and impact needed to fully convince. Stage combat is always an illusion, but here the choreography sometimes felt overly theatrical, with punches visibly missing their targets by some distance. Given the musical nature of the production, I couldn't help wondering whether embracing more stylised movement, almost treating the fights like carefully choreographed dance sequences, may have made them feel more dynamic and visually exciting.
Visually, however, there is plenty to admire.
The scenic design creates a beautiful sense of place, with the dojo and Japanese-inspired settings providing an attractive backdrop throughout. Unfortunately, several scene changes were accompanied by noticeably loud set movements. While a small detail, it repeatedly pulled me out of the story just as scenes were building momentum.
Despite my reservations, one moment from the evening stood out more than anything happening on stage.
Looking around the auditorium, it was wonderful to see so many young boys completely engaged with live theatre. It's a demographic that remains significantly underrepresented in many audiences, and seeing families sharing this experience together was genuinely refreshing. If The Karate Kid – The Musical encourages a new generation to discover theatre, then it has already achieved something incredibly valuable.
Ultimately, this is a production with enormous potential. The performances are consistently excellent, the cast deserve huge praise and there is a strong emotional story at its heart. For me, though, the direction, choreography and staging choices never quite allowed those performances to flourish in the way they deserved.
The Karate Kid – The Musical has plenty of heart and some genuinely memorable performances. It may not land every punch, but its talented company and ability to attract new audiences to live theatre make it a production worth celebrating.
