Susan Granger’s review of “King Kong” (The Broadway Theatre)
It’s all about the 20-foot tall gorilla!
In 1930s New York City, wannabe actress Ann Darrow (Christiani Pitts) has endured enough auditions and rejections to accept an offer from cynical filmmaker Carl Denham (Eric William Morris) to be his ‘leading lady’ on an expedition to a remote place called Skull Island, home of King Kong.
Straight off her family’s farm, spunky Ann has no idea what’s in store for her, nor does and the crew, including Denham’s kindhearted lackey known as Lumpy (Erik Lochtefeld), whom she insists on calling Len, his rightful name.
The ship’s scenic departure from New York Harbor with Peter England’s accompanying video projections demonstrate superb stagecraft.
Based on the movie and novelization, book writer Jack Thorne (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) is determined to make Ann into a feisty feminist with an unwavering desire to be “Queen of New York,” as opposed to exploring the vulnerability of screen star Fay Wray.
Naturally, this dilutes the impact of her relationship with the sympathetic, sorrowful-eyed simian, particularly since Ms. Pitts’ voice is shrill and she cannot act. Eddie Perfect’s maudlin songs and Marius de Vries’ score are equally unimpressive.
But what the audience comes to see is King Kong. Designed by Sonny Tilders, created by Global Features and voiced by Jon Hoche, the 2,000-pound marionette is Broadway’s new animatronic attraction, its limbs manipulated by 10 technicians while three additional operators work a pulley system and an automation pro controls the off-stage robotics.
“It was a crazy idea that should probably never have been done,” director/choreographer Drew McOnie said.
Inevitably, the memorabilia merchandising includes T-shirts and hats. Plus, Ii you’re so inclined during intermission, you can purchase a cocktail a cocktail called the Kongopolitan (vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime juice).
This $35 million musical is an event, a curiosity that should appeal to tourists and children.