“A kickin’ time that packs a punch!”
The Karate Kid: The Musical brings Robert Mark Kamen’s famed 1984 screenplay to the stage, encapsulating the excitement of the franchise for everyone: old and new fans alike. Director Amon Miyamoto translates this cult-classic into an energetic musical capturing the challenges of teenagehood and the valuable lessons that can be learned along the way, with some karate-infused dancing thrown into the mix.
The plot centres around Daniel LaRusso (Gino Ochello), a teenage boy who has moved to California with his mother, Lucille (Sharon Sexton). However, Daniel’s new start is quickly dampened when he starts being bullied by high-school peer Johnny Lawrence (Joe Simmons), a star student of the ruthless Cobra Kai local karate troupe. Tired of humiliation and wanting to prove his strength to his crush, Johnny’s ex Ali (Abigail Amin), Daniel confides in the wise and calculated former karate connoisseur Mr. Miyagi (Adrian Pang) to train him to fight against Johnny in an upcoming karate tournament.
Daniel is played by Gino Ochello, who portrays the dorkiness and awkwardness of a teenage boy trying to find his footing rather perfectly. Daniel comes across as your typical moody teenager in the beginning, but Ochello gradually unravels the character of a more soft-natured young man determined to become the best version of himself, encouraging the audience to root for his success. Ochello’s vocals immensely complement his performance, his voice full of well-executed vocal flips and a whine that further portrays his teenage angst.
Adrian Pang plays Mr. Miyagi, an old man with a tough exterior who cracks funny and blunt quips which humour and charm the audience throughout the show. Pang’s portrayal of Mr. Miyagi makes him instantly likeable, as he carries with him not only an air of wisdom and insightfulness, but also a heartfelt and genuine motivation to help Daniel as he takes him under his wing as his student.
The vocals in this cast were impressive; Amin showcased some excellent belting, and Sextonconveyed a lot of emotion in her voice. Speaking on this emotional aspect, the production wasn’t afraid to touch upon very real themes of loss and how they affect the main characters, allowing the audience to connect more with the performance.
The ensemble was fantastic, and the Madrids’ martial arts arts-inspired choreography was so exciting to see; karate battle cries, sharp and fast movements, intricate hand movements that gave off the fluidity of water, and all in perfect synchronicity!
The use of set design and lighting were also incredibly dynamic; the use of Japanese shoji screens as a backdrop for projections of different locations was a creative decision that worked really well in the production’s favour! The sound also weaved the production’s eastern inspirations throughout the orchestration, which provided a nice contrast to the mostly 80’s pop-rock inspired soundtrack.
Overall, The Karate Kid: The Musical revitalises a classic franchise in a way that is enjoyable for everyone. The writing may come across as cheesy and cliché-centric in some parts; however, this does fit in with the fact the story is told through the lens of a teenage Daniel. Daniel wants to be the hero that gets the girl, overcomes the enemy and follows the ways of his teacher in Mr. Miyagi. The sprinkles of vulnerable moments in the play also works in the play’s favour, and shows the audience the real intentions behind characters outside of their archetypes. A fun, family-friendly musical that is easy to follow along and enjoy. The show runs until 4th July 2026 at the Theatre Royal venue in Glasgow, before continuing a tour across the UK. Tickets are available here.