They may not fill a barrel, but there are certainly enough productions based on the ancient Chinese tale of the Monkey King kicking around the country this summer. Monkey: Journey to the West is at the Royal Opera House from July 23 to 26. Billed as an opera, it will feature music by Damon “Gorillaz” Albarn. The Times gave five stars to its premiere at the Manchester Festival last year.

The others are a promenade-style two-hander at the Polka Theatre, Wimbledon (until June 28), and, hot on its heels, this eight-person extravaganza staged by Dominic Leclerc in Leeds. Both the latter shows use the same script by Colin Teevan - originally written for the Young Vic in 2001- as the springboard for some highly physical and undeniably family-friendly fun, lightly sprinkled with Taoist philosophy.

Formalised into a classic text during the Ming dynasty, the mythological saga that inspired Monkey! has been a part of Chinese culture for centuries. It charts the Wizard of Oz-like adventures of a Buddhist monk and a few reprobate disciples on a redemptive quest for a collection of holy scriptures. Much of the piece's force and humour stems from the character of the primate king who figures prominently in the pilgrimage. Nostalgia buffs might recognise him and his mates, Tripitaka, Pigsy and Sandy, from an endearingly hokey cult Japanese television series that the BBC broadcast in 1979.

Aimed at audiences aged 7 and up, Leclerc's version of Teevan's take on the story (and, presumably, the TV show) is an attractive, imaginatively produced cross between a circus-tinged, live-action cartoon and an Asianflavoured alt-panto. It is not a performance that places a premium on delicacy or charm. A game but sometimes shouty cast barrel through the expository passages, underlining gags while playing up their broadly pitched yet neatly detailed characterisations with quick, kinetic cheek. If I occasionally lost the plot, their skill and gusto pulled me through.

Topped by a shock of white hair, Jami Reid-Quarrell (pictured right with Mike Goodenough as Pigsy, above) is robust as the titular trickster - brash, brave and marked by an amusing streak of vanity. The aerialist dancer Wendy Hesketh is equally deft as the determined monk, punctuating her portrayal with graceful leaps and bounds on a bungee cord. Ropes, strands of silky fabric (tissues, in circus parlance), martial arts moves and trapeze are used to good effect. The agile Matt Costain is outstanding, doubling up as a perfectly friendly Buddha and his teeth-gnashing flipside, the King of Death.

Box office: 0113-213 7700, to July 12.

www.wyp.org.uk

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