21 year ol Esben Vinsnes gave a performance like a firework saturday. The Monkey King is made for children, but youths will love it. He is like a comic hero, or a chinese rabble with a body language, talk, grunt and squels. We ask him after the performance and get this answer: "Oh Yes, i’ve been totally into the chinese....., for a moment i really thought i was one of them" The young artist deliver a brecknecking fight against gods in the heaven, in a way any kind of circus artist will praise him. The picture of the space is simpel, maybe tiny, but it doesn’t matter when you have the kind of magnetism delivered by Esben Vinsnes on stage. He is the Monkey King with body and soul, mimic and temperament.

In acrobatic leap, with swordswinging speed, a lot of humour and poetic shadowplay he brings to life the hero. The mighty sound is high and catchy, the music change from asiatic to indian techno music and modern asiatic inspired music, with the signature of Pat Metheny.  The Monkey King are made for children, but will function like a cult theatre for youths. Everybody will have the pleasure to enjoy Esben Vinsnes. Kari Gisholt, Varden 11th february 1998

A performance so exciting, touching, colourful, speedy and silent, full of catchy modern rhytm, in the hour of A Monkey Kings hard expedition through land and ocean in the hope to find immortality.  The performance is full of speed, colours and humour - all carried through of one actor, Esben Vinsnes. He impresses great, as an actor, as juggler, an acrobat, his chinese and an emazing engament through the whole performance. Flowers must also be delivered to the director Per Spildra Borg, the scenografers Øyvind Gundersen, Trond Sørlundsengen, Anja Boman for the costume. The actor needs a whole bouqouet! But he also did this day! 5 points.    Ingeborg Haftorn, Østlendingen, Tuesday 20th January 1998.