Review of The Karate Kid - The Musical at Milton Keynes Theatre

There is no denying that the world of musical theatre is tremendously imaginative, and of all the films that could be adapted, perhaps the eighties teen drama The Karate Kid was not at the top of most people's lists for a musical adaptation. However, as our stage versions of Mr Miyagi and Daniel LaRusso arrive at Milton Keynes Theatre on a UK tour, I am happy to say that this is one of the most sensible film-to-musical decisions.

Recently relocated from New Jersey to LA, Daniel becomes the target of a gang of Cobra Kai dojo students. However, unbeknownst to him, a quiet and unassuming maintenance man at his new home, Mr Miyagi, is on hand to offer a little more than some bonsai training.

The first thing that ticks the box for a film-to-musical adaptation is having an original soundtrack, not an endless collection of awkwardly shoehorned music classics into the story. Here, alongside book writer Robert Mark Kamen, are some brilliantly crafted tunes by composer and lyricist Drew Gasparini. It is true that you are unlikely to leave with an earworm, since catchiness is not a key feature of Gasparini’s work. He is clearly looking for placement, story development, relevance, and, if I may say so, just good, solid songs.

The songs are all delivered beautifully, and the strong cast is led by the very charismatic Gino Ochello as Daniel, the innocent, likeable boy targeted by a bully on his first day due to romantic friction. He is a very strong lead, delivering both emotional performances and strong vocal skills.

Alongside him, though, as his mentor, is Adrian Pang as Mr Miyagi, with an even stronger stage performance. His creation of the vintage character is magical, filling him with lovely quirks and a delicious air of mystery. He is truly perfect for the role and even joins in for some subtle, but perfectly in-character songs.

Elsewhere, there is strong support, especially from the tremendous vocals and caring nature of Sharon Sexton’s performance as Daniel’s mother, Lucille. Joe Simmons offers equally great vocal support as bad-guy Johnny, but has slightly less menace, perhaps needed for the story's meaty scenes.

The love interest of Ali on the night was performed by debut understudy Elena Breschi, and she was fantastic, assured in the role with a great personality that, with the exception of the announcement, you would never have thought she didn’t play the role every night. Of final mention of the cast, there is a dominant performance by Matt Mills as the true baddy of the story, the embittered Vietnam veteran John Kreese, pressurising his students to help him cast away his own past failure.

The world of karate gives choreographers Keone and Mari Madrid the chance to play with visuals, and as a result, there are some brilliant moments of movement in the show, from fast action to the beautiful little sequences featuring Mr Miyagi and the ensemble.

The set allows director Amon Miyamoto to keep things moving, but at times it can be a bit clunky during scene changes, and, unfortunately, there were a few lighting issues affecting the earlier scenes in the first act as well. Musically, though, from Chris Poon and his band, the entire theatre was filled with sound, but at a volume that still allowed the lyrics to be heard.

The Karate Kid - The Musical is a pleasant surprise, telling the original, moralistic coming-of-age story well through song. The appeal, perhaps, is limited to those who remember the original; however, it shouldn’t be, as this is solid, always-relevant storytelling that deserves to be seen by a much wider audience.

A warm and thoughtful musical adaptation of the cult eighties film.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Tuesday 16th June 2026 at the Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes.

The Karate Kid - The Musical runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday, 20th June 2026, before continuing its tour.

For further details about Milton Keynes, see their website at https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

For further details of the tour, see the website at https://www.thekaratekidthemusicaluk.com/

Photographs: Manuel Harlan

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A Small Mind At The Theatre

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