‘The Lion King’ is perhaps Disney’s biggest success story this side of ‘Pixar’. The epic “coming of age” story centered around a lion in the plains of Africa has been experienced by millions worldwide, garnering critical acclaim and billions in revenue since its release in the mid-nineties. I’m sure everyone remembers fondly the moment where the sung words “Nan ts’ngonya ma bakithi baba!”* first inundated the theater, inducing goosebumps to everybody in the audience. It certainly became a landmark film and the most recognized animated feature in the history of animation.
A few years after its release, Michael Eisner (then president of the house of mouse) moved some pieces to create a stage version based on the film. Few took him seriously when he approached Disney’s Theatrical division with the idea, yet he insisted. Some time after that, the figure of Julie Taymor appeared out of nowhere, as if Eisner would have summoned her out of his own golden lamp. She began carefully sculpting (literally and figuratively) what would later become one of the most succesful shows on Broadway. Make no mistake, without the artistic merits of Taymor on board, ‘The Lion King’ musical would not have been as refreshing and exciting, not to mention as visually beautiful, as the piece it has been for the past 11 years and remains today.
Julie Taymor interacts with a South African actor during a rehearsal for a new production of the musical in Pretoria, South Africa.
Interesting to note, I was partly ignorant to its existence until about three years ago. In theory, I knew it existed, but it never caught my eye for some reason…that is, until a friend of mine told me there was a short feature covering the musical on ‘The Lion King’ DVD. Being the ‘Lion King’ fan I am, I was surprised I still hadn’t see said feature after years of owning that DVD. So when I watched it, there was no turning back: I instantly became a convert, purchasing the ‘Original Broadway Cast Recording’ in the process and listening to it a thousand times (sorry, everyone!). Everyday, I found myself dreaming of experiencing it live on Broadway…and I finally did, back in June of this year.
The only word I can find to describe those two hours and forty five minutes (with intermission) is “surreal”. The african savanna comes to life in front of your eyes through the magic of stage design and lighting, both taking minimalistic (but impactful) design approaches. Simple patterns and shapes with solid (yet vibrant) colors against a huge “sky” canvas leave enough visual space to the dozens of cast members managing puppetry or wearing exquisite headpieces and costumes, all sculpted and/or created by Taylor herself. What is even more impressive is how said costumes add so much character through movement to all the members of the cast: headpieces leave their original position to become extensions of the head and body, for example. Awe-inspiring stuff and very much deserving of praise.
Scar and Simba in a scene of 'The Lion King'. Note the intricate, movable headpiece.
Beautiful aesthetics aside, what’s a musical without great music? If you loved the original compositions from the film, then you can feel happy that it’s all here, mixed with a dash of “new”. Hans Zimmer’s majestic orchestral suites are played to accentuate character moments or transitions as in the film, and even used in the chorus for what has become my favorite song of the entire play, “Shadowland”. Lebo M, a south african musician who invested himself in the creation of a record inspired by the music of ‘The Lion King’ titled “Rhythms of the Pridelands”, lends a hand here as well by composing various numbers that showcase the heavy African influence of the piece (“One by one”, “Grasslands chant”). And of course, all the awesome Elton John and Tim Rice songs that we grew up to love.
The choreoraphy by Garth Fagan, as incredibly raw as it looks, never ceases to be beautiful. As he explains in countless interviews I’ve read, he was trying to create a certain dance language for “Lion King land”, to make it seem as if dance were an integral part of that community. He succeeded brilliantly in that respect. The dance numbers come out of nowhere, surprising the audience, and as quickly as that they dissolve like mist, leaving you processing what you had just saw. The intensity of a hunt of lionesses is not imitated, but perfectly captured.
Synergy-wise, the cast is still enraptured by what they’re performing (and representing). It’s natural for a show to lose a bit of its luster after some time playing, and yes, even on Broadway (most recent case: RENT). That’s not the case here, even after 11 years: the band sounds great, the ensemble act/sounds amazing and the overall feel of the company is as if they were the original cast, carrying the piece proudly over their shoulders as they always should. That made my experience even more memorable.
Raw, intense dance numbers give movement to the piece.
The stage version of ‘The Lion King’ is a must-see, but I’m sure you’ve figured that out already. It has been playing non-stop for 11 years on Broadway and still manages to sell every seat in the house every night. It has also sparked multiple productions around the world, including in European and Asiatic locations. That doesn’t happen by name alone. It happens because once, a team of great artists came up with the right approach at the right time…and they did it. It’s the perfect marriage of commercial and artistic success. And it was everything I expected, which is a lot to say coming from me. Thanks for reading! : )
*Translation: “Here comes the lion, folks!” in Zulu.
The Minskoff Theatre, home of 'The Lion King' on Broadway. Oh, and yeah: that's me ecstatic.
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