**** 4Stars
“ A joyous nostalgia filled evening of musical joy “
There can’t be an 80’s movie classic that hasn’t at some point been adapted into a stage musical, the one film cannon that seemed the most unlikely to be given the stage treatment is 1984’s The Karate Kid starring the late Pat Morita as Mr Miyagi and the still youthful Ralph Macchio as Daniel Larusso.
Debuting in 2022 in St Louis the Karate Kid the musical see’s the return of the motion pictures screen writer Robert Mark Kamen to write the book with music and lyrics composed by Drew Gasparini, directed by Amon Miyamoto and featuring choreography from Keone and Mari Madrid. It’s a musical that succeeds because it stays true to the spirit of the original, retelling the timeless tale of good over adversity and the discovery of what a person can do if they find balance and self-belief in ones self. The musical also cleverly stays with in the 80’s world many of us remember in our childhoods. The songs and score have a terrific 80s pop feel and are delivered in style by both cast and a stellar ten strong pit orchestra under the baton of Musical Director Chris Poon.
Performances are excellent with the cast being lead in style by Adrian Pang as Mr Miyagi who delivers a performance that brings out the best of Pat Morita’s original film interpretation but also makes the character more human. The gorgeous Gino Ochello makes his professional stage debut as Daniel Larusso as well as having an uncanny resemblance to Macchio he brings a youthful innocence to the role but also possesses a beautiful singing voice. The leads are joined by a 14 strong ensemble many of whom appear in featured roles. Special mention goes to Sharon Sexton as Lucille Larusso, Daniel’s erstwhile and hard-working mother. Her voice is on point, and she brings real emotional valour to the part.
Production wise this is a west end worthy production with Derek McLane’s Scenic design blending San Francisco with the Orient with ease however there was a set malfunction in that the automated screens came in to far onto stage, so the audience got to see the magic of live theatre to often as the crew changed set between scenes. That said the set is beautifully lit by Bradley King with additional inspired support from Peter Nigrini’s projection design. Ayako Maeda’s lush costume design brings fresh life to 80’s americana and Kai Harada’s sound design is faultless.
Karate Kid the musical works as a musical adaptation as it doesn’t pretend to be something its not, its clearly a work of passion for both the company and the production team, blending a cherished story with classic elements of theatre, especially the use of a physical Greek chorus that ultimately delivers a joyous nostalgia filled evening of musical joy and a night well worth the ticket price.
So why not head to the festival theatre and grab a ticket for journey to an 80’s classic and discover your true self all over again! Wonderful stuff.
The Karate Kid, The Musical, Festival Theatre, Edinburgh runs until Saturday 27thth June for more information and tickets go to: https://www.capitaltheatres.com/shows/the-karate-kid/
The UK Tour continues and the Production will visit the Theatre Royal Glasgow Tuesday 30th June to Saturday 4th July 2026
ScotsGay Arts 