Review: King Of Pangea (King's Head Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Setting sail down Upper Street in Islington, London, will see you arrive in a magical world, otherwise known as the King’s Head Theatre. Inside, you will find different worlds with their versatile programming leading to some differing results over the last few months. Their latest offering is the world premiere of new musical. King Of Pangea. With another recent musical staged there failing to light up the stage as I had hoped, would this one prove to be the King of Kings?

King Of Pangea tells the story of the young Sam Crow, who has to navigate his grief when he faces the loss of his beloved mother. Escaping to Pangea, the imaginary island he created as a child, he attempts to make sense of the overwhelming loss and discover the missing piece he is looking for to find his way back home.

Based on his own experience, writer Martin Storrow has created a rich and fantastical world that fuses surrealism with realism as these very real and raw themes are dealt with in an imaginative way. With moments of humour and Sam’s grief manifesting itself in a whimsical nature, the result is a very grown-up version of the childlike wonder we struggle to hold on to and the fictitious worlds we attempt to disappear into when reality gets too tough - a good metaphor for theatre in itself, really. The themes present are the very foundation of life and issues that will be relatable to many watching - don’t be surprised if you find yourself responding with extreme emotion to moments during King Of Pangea as  I witnessed around the audience on the night I visited.

Storrow is also responsible for the music and lyrics in King Of Pangea, impressing with the quality throughout. I was particularly impressed with the originality in the lyrics with some unexpected rhyming very refreshing when compared to some other new musicals I have seen lately, where lyrics always seem to be a huge stumbling block for them. One of the strongest musical numbers is the comedic and quirky ‘Everyone I Love’, while ‘The Curriculum’ feels very reminiscent of something through Hamilton but works exceptionally well and, due to its distinctive nature, may have been the standout moment in a show full of heart-wrenching and emotive ballads.

The strength in the writing is in its authenticity with Storrow using elements from his own story to bring the heart to the story. It makes it near impossible not to love because of this. Through the style of music and the sentiment of the story, an obvious comparison to make is The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. It doesn’t quite hit with the same gravitas of that sensational show, but it is certainly going to appeal to anyone who has fallen in love with that musical, as so many of us have. 

Even though space is tight, the production value of King Of Pangea is among the most impressive I have seen at the King’s Head Theatre, with Carly Brownbridge’s set design dropping enough hints at what this magical world might look like.This is furthered with Richard Israel’s direction, making great use of the space and design with just the right balance of stage magic and the requirement to let the audience use their own imagination. If/when it moves to bigger venues further down the line of its development, I expect there will be far more of a spectacle to be found, but even without this, it still works incredibly effectively.

Leading the cast as Sam Crow is Alfie Blackwell in an astonishingly strong performance, made all the more impressive with the fact that this marks his professional debut. Beautifully encapsulating the complexities of navigating grief and the balance between reality and fantasy, his charisma holds the show and proves captivating to watch throughout. With a beautiful singing voice to match, Blackwell had me believing in Sam’s world in a glorious performance. The role of young Sam is shared between two young performers, with Daniel Lee taking on the role at the performance I went to, blending seamlessly with his adult counterpart and showcasing himself as one to watch in the future - something I could easily say about both Sam’s at this performance.

Mark Curry gives an energetic turn as the enigmatic Elijah, delivering some of the musical’s highlights, including the aforementioned ‘Everyone I Love’. With a twinkle in his eye, he charms Sam and the audience simultaneously with his impeccable skill. Dan Burton gives an initially understated turn as Sam’s father, Arthur, but gets to show a different side of himself when he reappears as the Captain in Pangea in a highlight of the show. Emily Tang is underused in her dual roles as Amy/Maya but delivers exceptional work during her comparatively brief stage time, while Sophia Ragavelas gives a sweet and moving turn as Sam’s mother, Celia.

Though King Of Pangea is not perfect by a long shot and would definitely need some refining for its future life, I couldn’t help but be impressed at the scale of what had been achieved and how successful it was for the most part. It’s far from finished, but it’s in pretty good shape, especially for a musical that has premiered at King’s Head Theatre. It’s ability to connect with an audience and move them, while letting them buy into this magical world and make sense of what is really going on and how it relates to the real world is a big part of what makes this production so successful, furthered with an expert lead performer in a fantastic cast. The important thing to consider with a show like this is potential, and this show has no shortage of that. It may not have quite found the missing piece of the puzzle just yet but when it gets there, this musical could find itself enjoying a long and happy life - whatever happens, I look forward to seeing where it will be going on its travels next.

King Of Pangea plays at King’s Head Theatre until 6th July. Tickets from https://kingsheadtheatre.com

Photos by Steve Gregson