Almost 20 years before Elsa and Anna cast their icy magic over our children, there was another Disney film that stole hearts with its heart-wrenching storyline and emotionally charged soundtrack that played all summer long.
The Lion King was released back in June 1994 and being 11 years old at the time I remember how there was no escaping those Elton John songs for weeks on end. A year after Jurassic Park had stormed the box office, Disney’s The Lion King set out to be the next big summer blockbuster and it did just that, becoming the highest grossing film of the year ahead of Forrest Gump.
I’ve since rewatched the film with my own children (Circle of Life and all that) and while the animation looks a bit dated by today’s standards, it still has the power to make you cry, smile and sing at the top of your voice, repeatedly for 90 minutes. The film’s legacy lives on, with a stage version that’s touring the UK and Ireland and audiences have another month to see it at Manchester’s Palace Theatre.
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The show runs there until March 11, before moving onto Sunderland, Bristol, Birmingham and Dublin. Last week I got the chance to be in the audience and can’t recommend the experience enough.
There were strict instructions to take our seats before the show started and when it got underway, we discovered why, as the performers and giant puppets got closer to us than we could have imagined during the show’s hugely rousing opening song - and others that followed.
Of course, I don’t want to give away too many detailed spoilers for those who haven’t seen it, but the whole production was flawless and like something you’d expect to see in the West End. The clever placing of the musicians around the theatre created a highly charged atmosphere - I could feel every thumping beat pulsing through me as it was belted out.
Recreating the Pride Lands on stage was never going to be easy, but the Palace Theatre was beautifully transformed with a glowing African sunset backdrop behind the giant Pride Rock that reappeared throughout the show, becoming the centrepiece for the dramatic twists and turns of Simba’s journey.
The expertly designed puppets - there’s more than 230 of them - were majestic to watch, adding height, drama, fun and making me feel quite emotional at times - who knew you could almost be brought to tears by a giant bowing giraffe.
Like with the film, the music brought the storyline to life and crashed into our senses. Director Julie Taymor is said to have wanted the audience to be ‘enveloped by Africa’, with huge attention to detail paid to every instrument, to create an authentic sound.
The result meant that each and every song had the audience captivated, from the joyous ‘I Just Can’t Wait To Be King’, which saw young Simba and young Nala joyously belting out the lyrics while riding high in the air on top of giant puppets - to Scar’s call to arms ‘Be Prepared’, with the thumping music at one point emphasised by an impressive high energy contemporary dance sequence.
The detail of the hand printed and carefully beaded costumes, meticulously constructed puppets and impressive set design, created a truly authentic look that made this so much more than just another musical. During a tender scene between Mufasa and young Simba before the king of the jungle came to his untimely end, the stars that twinkled above them looked so real, you could almost reach out and touch them. Just moments later, the stage was alive with the drama of the thunderous stampeding wildebeest and we held our breathe, knowing what was to come.
The performances of each character stayed true to the film and to pick out a favourite would be too difficult, with every one fully deserving of the lengthy standing ovation they received at the end. From the innocence of young Simba, to the deliciously evil Scar, played brilliantly by Richard Hirst, along with the silliness of carefree Pumbaa and Timon - who at one point dons drag to do the Charleston, yes really - we got to experience every emotion as each character went on their own journey.
Matthew Forbes, as Zazu, had the audience captivated as he perfectly manoeuvred the bossy, sarcastic bird around the stage, while Nokwanda Khuzwayo in the role of (grown up) lioness Nala expertly blended tenderness and passion as the character discovered her friend Simba was still alive and convinced him to return to save the Pride Lands from famine under the rule of Scar.
Special mention has to go to South African actress Thandazile Soni, who brought humour and jaw-dropping vocals as she gave the role of Rafiki a feminine update that the audience adored. Rafiki is the only character in the show who doesn’t wear a mask or is in puppet form, with director Taymor determined to ‘maintain the absolute humanity of this character’. Instead, her own expressions are emphasised with vibrant makeup to create the look of the mandrill monkey.
Apparently it took Taymor and her team 37,000 hours to build the original puppets and masks for the show and the effort that’s gone into this production is evident from start to finish. I’d gladly watch the whole thing again and again - it's a performance I'll never forget. The Lion King is at The Palace Theatre in Manchester until March 11 and you can buy tickets here.
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