A cinematic disappointment.
SPOILERS AHEAD.
Director/choreographer Drew McOnie shared remarks at the top of the evening.
"Thank you for arriving with passion, to have the first glimpse of what the world is about to see, our hero. You are the last piece of the puzzle, to make what live theatre is all about. A community. You guys are brave! Enjoy! Anything can happen tonight. Turn your phones off and dive into 1931 New York. Let this story give you the confidence to roar."
SPOILERS AHEAD.
Soon after the opening timpani roll, and a thick synth sound, we were transported to old New York. The upstage, wrap-around LED screens were nearly IMAX size with images of steel and cranes. Two towers of metal girders slowly dropped in.
The choreography was a mixed bag of male athleticism and feminine follies. There's even a breakdancing apple seller.
Latecomers were seated after "Queen of New York".
From row M in high mezzanine in a $49 seat, the film-like visuals were wonderful, but by the time a fourth FULL moon appeared, I realized that timekeeping was not on anyone's priority list.
The MeToo references were weak. "The story ends when you're someone's wife," said Ann Darrow.
As the ship left NY for Skull Island, the ship had the same response to both tranquil waters and choppy waves.
Skull Island had lasers! Its jungle is thick spaghetti seaweed.
The biggest applause of the night was Kong's entrance. "You gotta see it to believe it," Carl Denham would later say.
When a python wraps itself around Ann, the battle of ape vs snake was too difficult to stage. It's certainly suggested that Kong won.
Act 2 opens with schmaltz and cheesy showbiz. The female ensemble wore silver glitter on black while shaking red cheerleader pompoms. I immediately wished we were back at Skull Island.
Chorus line of sailors, anyone?
When the chained King Kong first appeared in front of the 1931 NY audience, mayhem ensued when he breaks free. Did the dancers escape the stage in time?
As Kong raced through the streets of NY, he picked up one random woman in white, then dropped her to the street below. This was the one glitch of the evening: when Kong released the woman, she remained suspended for 2 seconds before freefalling.
Kong spotted tonight's live audience and gingerly inched forward to the lip of the stage. I loved it when everyone in the mezzanine lurched forward in unison.
Kong's ascent on the Empire State Building was cool.
Overall, the Kong puppet was amazing! But the book, songs, and orchestrations were lacking. I do not need to see this again.
Updated On: 10/6/18 at 08:03 AM
