King Kong (2013 musical)

Production

The musical opened at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, Australia on 15 June 2013, following previews from 28 May 2013. Originally booking through 28 July 2013, the musical extended its booking period three times, with its final performance on 16 February 2014, concluding an almost nine-month run.

According to producer Carmen Pavlovic of Global Creatures, who told The Times that she anticipates launching a second production of King Kong in 2014, with a third to follow in 2015. Plans have been announced to bring the show to the United States, England, South Korea, Germany, Japan and the Netherlands, among other markets.

Broadway

The Broadway premiere of King Kong had been reported to take place in late 2014, due to the availability of one of Broadway's largest venues, the Foxwoods Theatre. Gerry Ryan of Global Creatures told Australian Radio Station 3AW in January 2014, "I was in New York recently and went to the theatre, and so, they're getting ready — Spider-Man [Turn Off the Dark]'s closed there at the Foxwoods and we'll be opening on December 12 [2014]." However, the producers announced in March 2014 that the Broadway production has been delayed, because of the large scale of the musical and the time needed to make creative changes. They said "We will announce our plans when we can confirm our timeline to open on Broadway."

According to an article in Playbill on September 5, 2014, the director Daniel Kramer and book writer Craig Lucas are no longer with the production and Marsha Norman will rewrite the book. No further details have been announced, although the article noted that the Broadway Theatre has been mentioned as a possible venue.

In September 2015, it was reported that Jason Robert Brown has joined Marsha Norman to help put together the planned Broadway show. Brown commented (in an article in December 2015) that "portions of the show's Australian score...will remain intact. 'King Kong is a little bit different for me...I'm primarily just there to write songs for the characters. There's a whole lot of music that already exists for King Kong that's really exciting, and the gorilla itself is really unbelievable.' " Norman said, "Kong is the earth. If we kill it, we're dead. King Kong, for me, is about how we kill the things we don't understand."

The formal presentations for the Broadway production began in February 2016.

Development

The musical took five years of planning and over five months of rehearsals. Director Daniel Kramer said in a statement that it took "three years of auditions and workshops" before performances began. He added, "It’s tempting to focus on the spectacle of King Kong himself. But it is only through the humanity of the life around him – the people of New York City, the comic megalomania of filmmaker Carl Denham, the stubborn opposition of first mate Jack Driscoll, and the grace, beauty and power of our leading lady, Ann Darrow – that he truly takes life."

The musical, according to press notes, "has gone back to the source – the novella of the original film by Merian C. Cooper and Edgar Wallace – in this world-first adaptation as a large-scale musical. Featuring a cast of 49 actors, singers, dancers, circus performers and puppeteers; a crew of 76; and arguably the most technologically advanced puppet in the world - a one-tonne, six-metre giant silverback - King Kong will be an epic and dazzlingly original theatrical experience."

Act I

In the middle of The Great Depression in New York City, film director Carl Denham is pressured to find a leading lady for his next film ("Hunting Season"). He searches the city for a woman fitting for the role but with little success ("Sweethearts on Parade/Brother Can You Spare a Dime"). Meanwhile, Ann Darrow is also struggling to cope with life in the city ("What's It Gonna Take"). She is robbed by thugs who taunt her by tossing around her belongings ("I Wanna Be Loved by You"). Denham spots her and realises she is perfect for the role. Ann is almost arrested for trying to steal an apple but Denham is able to prevent it. He offers her a job to star in his picture which she reluctantly accepts. Ann boards his ship and meets the crew including Jack Driscoll with whom she does not get along at first. The ship leaves the port as Denham thinks about how successful his new film will be ("Colossus"). The next morning Ann is nervous about her screen test but later becomes confident as she gets ready ("Special FX"). She and Jack get to know each other a little better ("Perfect') and eventually fall in love ("Foxtrot"). The ship eventually arrives at Skull Island, the crew argue about whether to turn back or explore the island but Denham insists they go ashore. They interrupt the natives' sacrificial ritual and a fight breaks out ("Ritual"). The crew head back to the ship but Ann is abducted and offered as a sacrifice to Kong ("Ascent"). The crew go to rescue her but are too late as Kong has already taken her. Jack, however is determined to get Ann back and ventures into the jungle ("In the Face of Forever"). Meanwhile, Ann wakes up to face Kong in his cave. At first she is frightened but she builds the courage to stand up to him. Kong protects her when she is almost attacked by a giant snake and they form a special bond ("Full Moon Lullaby"). While Kong falls asleep, Jack quietly approaches and Ann reluctantly goes back with him. Kong suddenly wakes and realises Ann has gone and chases after them ("The Chase"). Denham and the crew capture Kong using gas bombs to knock him out and Ann as bait, much to her dismay. Denham decides to present Kong to the public in New York.

Act II

Now back in New York, Ann contemplates her experiences on Skull Island ("What's It Gonna Take") while Denham advertises for his show in which he intends to present a now captive Kong to the audience ("The Greatest Show on Earth"). Jack proposes to Ann and she accepts ("Dance with Me"). The couple are about to enter the theatre when Ann asks for a moment alone before joining him as she is caught between starting a new life with Jack and her affection and sympathy for Kong ("A Simple Prayer"). Denham presents Kong in chains to the audience much to their astonishment. Ann and Jack rush onto the stage causing Denham to panic as he is worried they will try to turn the public against him. Ann tries to console Kong but when Denham orders the guards to remove her, despite Jack warning them not to touch her, Kong believes they are trying to hurt her and breaks free as Jack quickly escapes with Ann. Denham sends out the Avalanches to entertain and calm down the nervous crowd ("Get Happy"). Kong rampages through the city in search of Ann and kills few look-alikes, but Ann manages to find him and calm him down. He gently picks her up and takes her to the top of the Empire State Building as the public watch in awe. Denham is arrested despite his protests "It was beauty killed the beast! Not me!" ("Rise"). Atop, Ann and Kong share a moment ("Full Moon Lullaby (Reprise)") but it is cut short when airplanes begin to shoot at Kong. Ann desperately yells for them stop but they don't hear her. Kong is fatally shot in the neck and falls to his death ("Amen, Opus 35"). Below, Jack reunites with a devastated Ann while the crowd gather around to see Kong's dead body.

Original World Premiere cast

† Indicates an original character created for the musical

Kong

Engineered, designed and built by Global Creature Technology in West Melbourne, Australia, the title role is the largest puppet ever created for the stage, and requires many on-stage and off-stage operators to control him for every show. According to press notes, "A group of 35 on-stage and off-stage puppeteers work to manipulate the large-scale puppet. Several puppeteers are positioned on swinging trapezes and others launch themselves as counterweights off the puppet's shoulders to raise Kong's massive arms as he runs and swipes at planes during the performance". According to producers, the character is "an imposing, stylized silverback of exaggerated proportions...a highly sophisticated animatronic/marionette hybrid that will be controlled by the integration of hydraulics, automation and the manual manipulation from a team of puppeteer/aerialists ('The King’s Men') on stage, and off."

Reception

Kong opened on 15 June 2013 to mixed reviews. The majority of critics lauded the visuals and the cast, but reacted negatively to the music, book and lyrics. Aussie Theatre wrote, "It’s spectacular. Visually and technically, this is theatre that we haven’t seen before", but went on to say, "The story isn’t there. There’s a plot based on assuming the audience know King Kong’s film story, but it’s filled with illogical leaps, clunky dialogue and the melodrama of unearned emotion. It feels like it was written around the spectacle." In terms of the score, it wrote, "The music is forgettable. It’s not boring, but it doesn’t move the story, show character or add much more than a beat for the spectacle that it’s supporting", claiming that "the most successful number is Ann’s lullaby to Kong on Skull Island."

Australian Stage reviewed the show similarly, writing "The storyline does suffer from a lack of character development and an over-use of musical numbers that are sometimes more razzle-dazzle than relevant to the actual story." It also reacted negatively to the original character Cassandra, writing "...adding [her] was another unnecessary idea. With little to do and dressed in a costume that seemed more relevant to Wicked, one was left bewildered by her presence, although Queenie van de Zandt produced another strong performance in the role." In a 3 1/2 star review, The Sunday Morning Herald believed the show to "[impress] on many levels", adding, "if it falls short, it’s because our expectations are so sky high. As such, it is a showcase for a technology’s potential and also its limitations. It is a novel, intermittently powerful but synthetic spectacle that seeks to be more."

Original Melbourne production