Wales Millennium Centre
No one would blame you for being a little sceptical about a Karate Kid musical. On paper, it’s unquestionably a nostalgia-fuelled cash grab, but on stage, it’s surprisingly charming.
The production, which follows plucky teenager Daniel LaRusso as he learns karate to combat school bullies, doesn’t stray too far from what we already know from the original film, but, impressively, it does take a gamble on original music by Drew Gasparini. For a show with such recognisable IP, it could so easily have coasted on crowd-pleasing 1980s jukebox fodder. Whether you think it has the right to exist or not, it certainly deserves credit for having the courage to stand on its own two feet.
Musically, Gasparini doesn’t apologise for the score’s infectious cheesiness. His compositions are catchy and irresistible, in a ‘Disney Channel Movie of the Week’ kind of way, and I totally mean that as a compliment! Keone and Mari Madrid’s choreography fits well with this tone, combining slick boyband aesthetics with genuinely inventive martial arts sequences.
Visually, the production is spectacular. The staging feels cinematic, with enormous moving set pieces, seamless projections and dynamic lighting. It has the technical scale to play arenas, making its more intimate theatrical setting feel even more immersive.
Gino Ochello is an excellent Daniel LaRusso, capturing the character’s complex mix of quiet confidence and underlying vulnerability. Daniel’s transformation from insecure outsider to determined competitor feels entirely believable in his hands. Abigail Amin is equally impressive as Ali Mills, bringing an effortless charisma to the ‘it’ girl, who’d rather not be ‘it’ at all.
But it’s Adrian Pang who delivers a show-stopping performance as Mr Miyagi. He leans into the character’s eccentricities with subtlety and impeccable comic timing. His Miyagi shines in moments of vulnerability, particularly in a devastating scene fuelled by alcohol and grief which I found profoundly moving.
This show is undoubtedly camp, but resists overdoing it to the point of becoming a parody of itself. It’s self-aware but not smug, and, crucially, honours the original without becoming a bland carbon copy.
Every element here is perfectly balanced. Mr Miyagi would certainly approve.
The Karate Kid Musical is touring the UK throughout 2026. For more information visit: www.thekaratekidthemusicaluk.comÂ