The Mongol Khan Reviews

"A spectacular, swashbuckling tale of succession"

"A colossal cast of singers, dancers, acrobats and contortionists take your breath away in this epic and moving story of betrayal and parental sacrifice"

"Translated by John Man and adapted by Timberlake Wertenbaker, the dialogue has a grandiose, archaic and declamatory quality: characters speak in thundering statements, sometimes accompanied by actual thunderclaps. There is general sense of “crash, bang, wallop” to the action which might have tipped over into the ludicrous."

"What saves the production is its stupendous sense of scale and spectacle, combining to become something of a cross between Soul of Shaolin, Cirque du Soleil and The Lion King. The choreography, by Bayarbaatar Davaasuren and Khashkhuu Khatankhuyag, is breathtaking, the dance ensemble becoming the real star of the show."

"It is in some ways the Gladiator version of Mongolian cultural history, all swords, swashbuckling and epic melodrama. But who cares when it is this spectacular?"

"This Mongolian epic is a stupendous spectacle, even if it's thin as actual drama"

"‘The Mongol Khan’ is a theatrical spectacle from Mongolia – dance, music, seemingly infinite costumes, a 70-strong cast, some light puppetry and lots of fierce shouting – that clearly has serious money behind it. It is very impressive, but at the same time seems like it was made by someone whose only frame of reference was Olympic opening ceremonies and Disney films."

"This derivative story, peppered with a few deaths, plays out very slowly. Every ponderous line in Timberlake Wertenbaker’s faux-grandiloquent translation (as Egereg prepares to kill his lover, he is stayed by ‘the memory of the hardened nipples I used to stroke’) is met with a thunderclap and extended dance sequences while pounding martial music provides a relentless underscore."

"In terms of sheer magnitude it’s unlike anything you’re likely to see in London. Plenty of beautiful stage images and a great battle scene at the end somewhat redeems things, but mostly it’s prodigality instead of theatricality, a diplomatic mission as much as a piece of theatre."

"Like King Lear told by Cirque du Soleil"

"a spectacle that makes the Coliseum’s huge stage look crowded. There are so many elaborate, frenetic set pieces and so many actors, dancers and acrobats that your eye is almost blinded by the constant stimulation "

"The costumes, inspired by the traditional nomadic culture of the central Asian steppes, are extravagant and gorgeous, with plenty of scarlet and gold; there are monster masks and a big, fire-breathing dragon puppet. Almost 50 acrobatic dancers prowl the stage, giving a none-too-subtle physical life to the outsize emotions and overheated actions on display. It’s like King Lear told by Cirque du Soleil."

"The performances bring a vibrant sense of real life to proceedings, led by Erdenebileg Ganbold as the Lear-like Archug Khan. Amid all the hyperactivity on stage, he manages to portray Shakespearean gravitas and a powerful humanity as the tormented patriarch who will do anything to save his empire."

"Oh no he can’t"

"This well-meaning Mongolian epic and soft-power bid is stifled by its glacial pace, thin characters, foolish score and propagandist message"

"... despite that interesting backdrop, and a 70-strong cast, this epic production is, alas, epically boring."

"The declamatory dialogue, translated into English surtitles by historian John Man (apparently aided by his playwright wife Timberlake Wertenbaker, although frankly that’s hard to believe), is choked with overworked similes."

"The martial music is like a bad movie score, with portentous cues crashing in every other line; you start to tune it out. The lavish costumes range from the traditional to body suits featuring blood vessels and very prominent breasts, paired with dark goggles. Add in heavy breathing and suggestive moans, and it’s weirdly kinky."

"Lavish, protracted and hollow"

"Overblown Mongolian extravaganza offers spectacle without insight"

"The “go big or go home” approach of the show, which has been adapted for London by Timberlake Wertenbaker and is directed by Hero Baatar, extends in all directions. The volume is set to 11; there’s dry ice, glitter, fake snow."

"This epic piece of Mongolian theatre takes possession of the London Coliseum like a thunderstorm."

"The scale and sweep of the show are impressive. The drama less so. At the heart of all this activity is a classic tale of betrayal and revenge."

"It’s all delivered with panache. Bold Ochirjantsan’s costumes, inspired by ancient nomadic custom, are stunning. Baatar sculpts the space using Andrew Ellis’s lighting design and precise ensemble movement. The tireless dancers and acrobats are rarely off the stage... But their constant presence soon feels like overkill. And that’s the main problem: there’s just too much of everything."

"A thin tale of stupidity and cruelty told at interminable length"

"This dimwitted ruling family's psychodrama makes no sense of wider society. The costumes are great though..."

"Without wishing to be culturally insensitive, this extravaganza about Genghis Khan’s predecessors is hilariously awful. It’s performed in Mongolian with English surtitles, and purports to offer an elevated, tourism-baiting introduction to Mongolian culture and history. Instead, it tells a short, thin tale of stupidity and cruelty at interminable length."

"They tweely cavort and flick-flack in rare moments of joy, quiver as if electrocuted when rage is in the air, and in the bits in between, jump around or pulse like jellyfish. As the empty spectacle grinds on you, become convinced there’s no equivalent phrase in Mongolian to “get a bleeding move on”. Is this really what English National Opera is meant to leave the Coliseum for?"

"The choreography is well drilled and impressive in scale but feels like it’s been fed through a cultural food processor to make it palatable to audiences used to Cirque du Soleil."