A 1.1 tonne monster of steel and cables, Kong is a true beast of both engineering and live puppeteering. His deafening roar shakes the very foundations of the Regent Theatre. Bold, brash and a little bit bizarre, King Kong was always going to divide audiences. But as the most expensive production ever produced in Australia, does it really live up to the hype?

After playing to packed houses since previews, critics have so far unanimously agreed that Kong himself is a sight to behold. Unlike the incredible realism of Global Creature’s Warhorse puppets, the audience is explicitly aware of the troop of black ninja-like puppeteers and 300 metres of electrical wiring that act as Kong’s lifeblood. Yet rather than detracting, they act as a constant reminder of the enormity of the production’s technological achievements.

Overall, the production value of the show is enormous and truly groundbreaking. John “Cha Cha” O’Connell’s choreography is slick and polished and when coupled with Peter Mumford’s lighting design – a dazzling 27 metre wide LED screen, the collaboration ranges from truly spectacular to visually confronting.

However it is clear that this production is still a bit of a gangly teenager – one can’t help but feel that the...