King Kong (1959) was a landmark[1] South African jazz-influenced musical, billed at the time as an "all-African jazz opera".

"[2] Opening in Johannesburg on 2 February 1959 at Witwatersrand University Great Hall, the musical, based on the life of Ezekiel Dhlamini[3] was an immediate success, with The Star newspaper calling it "the greatest thrill in 20 years of South African theatre-going".

After being a hit in South Africa, touring for two years during which it was seen by more than a quarter of a million people, of whom two-thirds were white, the musical played at the Prince's Theatre in the West End of London in 1961.

The liner notes for the London cast recording state: "No theatrical venture in South Africa has had the sensational success of King Kong.

Among the defendants were Albert Luthuli (African National Congress president), secretary Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo and Nelson Mandela.

[8] As Lewis Nkosi wrote: "The resounding welcome accorded to the musical at Wits University Great Hall, in Johannesburg, on Feb 2nd 1959, was not so much for the jazz musical as a finished artistic product as it was applause for an idea which had been achieved by pooling together resources from both black and white artists in the face of impossible odds.

There was a cast of 72, among them Caiphus Semenya, Sophie Mgcina, Letta Mbulu, Benjamin Masinga and Dottie Tiyo[9] Other musicians in the show included Hugh Masekela,[10] Jonas Gwangwa, Kippie Moeketsi, Miriam Makeba,[11] Thandi Klaasen, all of whom went on to have successful careers.

"[12] The London cast featured Nathan Mdlele and Peggy Phango, with Joseph Mogotsi, Ben Masinga, Stephen Moloi, Sophie Mgcina, Patience Gowabe and former "Miss South Africa 1955" Hazel Futa.

As Pauline, the washerwoman, leaves to deliver a bundle of washing a boy picks out a tune on a penny whistle—the "Little Kong" song, which has become a great favourite with the children.

And so we see the great King Kong in his heyday, surrounded by photographers, journalists and an excited township crowd ("Marvelous Muscles").

King wins the fight and takes his friends to celebrate in Back of the Moon, the township's most famous shebeen ("Kwela Kong").

In February 2017, saxophonist Soweto Kinch presented a BBC Radio 3 programme entitled King Kong – The Township Jazz Musical, with Hugh Masekela, Pat Williams and singer Abigail Kubeka among the featured guests.

[2] A revival of the musical opened in autumn 2017 at the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, produced by Eric Abraham, for whom it took 20 years to secure the rights.

[9][16][17] It received positive reviews in South African press,[18][19][20] but drew unfavourable comparisons with the original production from a writer in Opera magazine.