review by Drew Webster
3/9/17
This is probably one of the few shows that gets getter every
time I see it. The Lion King is based
on of the popular Disney movie of the same name. It has been a popular choice
for a family musical, and it has been running on and off Broadway consistently
since its release in 1997 in Minnesota. Last night on Wednesday, March 8, 2017,
our group of critics in training saw it’s Broadway incarnation in Providence,
Rhode Island. Oh gosh, where to start with this show.
The musical
score in this show is absolutely astonishing and phenomenal. The original score
was written by Hans Zimmer and musician Elton John helped compose the music for
the musical along with Hans. The standard pit orchestra was present, but the
show had two percussionists on each side of the theatre, who both specialized
in the sort of African-style
percussion. Let me just say the addition of this style of
percussion is very electrifying to see live. It’s a special authentic touch the
director added to the show, and it is something you rarely see in any other
show. The way both the pit and percussion specialists play in unison to create
the music you hear is truly amazing. I found myself singing songs like “Hakuna
Matata” and “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” after I left the theatre.
The costume
design in this show was also quite spectacular. For everyone who has seen the
original movie, the plot centers around talking cartoon lions, hyenas, warthogs
and more. If you wanted to make this a show, you clearly don’t want people in
fuzzy lion costumes running on stage and breaking into song. Julie Taymor the
plays director knew this, and as a result created costumes that showed off the
human actors, while having enough to have people clearly understand what animal
they are. The lions such as Simba, Mufasa and Nala are a great example of how
to mix the cartoon with real actors. Every actor wore some form of
African-style headdress and simple, traditional African garb. The huge heads
serve as a way of recognition for the characters they portray, but the lack of
extensive costume coverage means you can clearly tell there is a human inside.
This balance showcases the amazing capability good costuming has on carrying a
story. With every animal that walks on stage, there is enough to tell that that
person is supposed to be a cheetah, an elephant, or whatever, but also doesn’t
hide the human under a bucket load of makeup.
Overall, I
can’t find a reason to outright hate this Broadway touring version of the
original musical. If you have never seen the show before, I think it would be a
great show to see just for fun, especially if you have kids who have seen the
movie. great picture for everyone young and old.
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