CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – This past weekend saw the Mountain State transformed into the Jurassic State, as the Jurassic World Live Tour kept Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center attendees on the edges of their seats throughout the show’s extended, multi-day run.
An impressively executed spectacle, the Jurassic World Live Tour is equipped to appeal to the dino-lover of the family as well as those less invested in the concept.
Showings began on Friday, October 13, 2023, at the Convention Center and were executed several times daily until the final showings on Sunday evening.
Those who arrive early are welcome to behold some of the arresting props and set pieces used throughout the performance itself. These include a fully functional Jurassic World vehicle, and awe-inspiringly realistic dinosaurs including tan favorites such as the triceratops and stegosaurus, as well as a to-scale rendering of the breakout star of the Jurassic World; Camp Cretaceous animated series, Bumpy the ankylosaurus.
The lore of the Jurassic World universe is heavily alluded to throughout the production, including direct references to Owen Grady, Claire Dearing, Dr. Ian Malcolm, and Dr. Henry Wu. The established mainstays do not appear, however, as the production works from an entirely new story complete with the introduction of unfamiliar characters.
Fortunately, the characters in question are fairly developed given the restrictions of live performance geared primarily toward small children with limited attention spans and little patience for extensive dialogue.
Given the context, the plot – such as it is – does an admirable job of keeping audience members engaged and believably setting up what the bulk of the crowd came to see: exhilarating action and stunning dinosaur recreations.
It is in these oh so important departments which the Jurassic World Live Tour delivers substantially, with the actors tasked with bringing the production’s characters to life also navigating combat choreography, dodging flames and explosions, and in many instances, safely and effectively performing motorcycle stunts in the midst of a fight sequence spanning the length of a basketball court.
While most any lucid adult could put together how each dinosaur is functioning by looking closely enough, the renderings are quite well done. These functional elements, while discernible to the observing adult, would likely be all but undetectable to younger fans, and are nowhere near enough of a hindrance to disrupt the suspension of disbelief necessary to invest oneself in fantastical elements of the franchise.
We’ll avoid outright spoilers, but it may be worth noting that, aside from Bumpy, another beloved character from the existing Jurassic World universe makes an appearance in the show. It may also behoove attending fans to keep an eye out for the particularly astounding disposal of one of the show’s villainous characters.
Upcoming performances for the Jurassic World Live Tour can be found at the Jurassic World Live Tour website. Additional LOOTPRESS coverage for Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center events can be found here.