The Karate Kid – The Musical at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh*****

Until last night I was only vaguely aware of The Karate Kid film series which goes back as far as 1984. I just didn’t think it would be of any interest to me.

But The Karate Kid – The Musical has changed all that. Not only did it leave me in awe of the outstanding choreography, the message behind the art of karate is something we should look to in these troubled days when violence and knife crime is so prevalent.

With producers from Japan and Broadway teaming up with the UK’s own Kenny Wax, this is a show with solid grounding, and yet many members of the cast aren’t long out of stage school – which is a testament to director Amon Miyamoto, the first Japanese director to have directed a musical on Broadway. Indeed, Gino Ochello is making his professional stage debut in the leading role of Daniel who, newly arrived in California with his mum, finds a way to stand up to his school bullies with the help of maintenance man Mr Mriyagi. And he nails it, exuding youthful exuberance.

Right from the beginning it is obvious this is more than a vehicle for screaming and chopping and wearing pajama-type clothes. When he first tells his peers he’s from New Jersey, Daniel is told, This a California. We are all immigrants here. Something Donald Trump might like to ingest! And when local bad boys, headed by a testosterone-fuelled Johnny (realistically played by Joe Simmons), wage war on Daniel, he seeks to find a way of teaching them a lesson without violence, while at the same time winning his girl (of course).

This is a show which is both high octane and graceful, beautiful but gritty. Central to the story is Mr Miyagi, a man of few words, though when he does speak it’s usually with a very dry, but innocent wit. He introduces Daniel to karate, bonsai trees and respect and with his army of spirits – ethereal dancers who I sometimes thought must be contortionists – brought much elegance to the production, thanks to the sensitive portrayal by Adrian Pang.

With thrilling music, striking lighting and some nifty scene changes, I bow respectfully to everyone involved in this production.

The Karate Kid The Musical is at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh until June 27

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It then continues touring:

June 30-July 4: Theatre Royal Glasgow

July 7-11: Lyceum Theatre Sheffield

July 14-18: Empire Theatre Sunderland

July 21-25: The Alexandra Birmingham

July 28-Aug 1: Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff

Sept 29-Nov 1: The Princess of Wales Theatre Toronto Canada