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'The Lion King' (11/14/97)
New
Amsterdam Theatre, N.Y.
Runs indefinitely
By Frank Scheck
When it was announced that Disney had hired Julie Taymor, previously best known
for her off-Broadway puppet tale "Juan Darien," to direct its upcoming
big-budget Broadway production of "The Lion King," eyebrows were
raised. Would the Obie winner's avant-garde sensibility and iconoclastic style
mesh with the Disney corporate approach and populist orientation?
Well, the results are now in, and it can be reported that the gamble has paid
off triumphantly. "The Lion King" is a spectacular rendition of the
animated film, a brilliant theatrical adaptation that stands on its own. It
should fill the beautifully restored New Amsterdam Theatre on 42nd Street for
many years to come, and will no doubt prove a commercial juggernaut on the road
as well.
Taymor has risen to the challenge of adapting an animated tale populated by
every beast in the jungle with magnificent skill, translating the physically
complex tale to the stage with an endlessly clever, visually stunning use of
masks, puppetry, costumes and scenic effects. From the amazing opening number,
"Circle of Life" -- which actually manages to equal the power of the
film version -- to the finale, the stage show has the delighted audience firmly
in its grip.
Unlike the stage version of "Beauty and the Beast," a much more
prosaic adaptation, Taymor's "The Lion King" reconceptualizes the
original film in ways that will delight adult audiences, while at the same time
remaining faithful enough in its basic elements to please younger fans. Although
a bit attenuated -- some children may get restless during its running time of
two hours and 45 minutes -- the show is well-paced and consistently exciting.
Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi's book also demonstrates a winning sense of humor,
with several audience-pleasing jokes at Disney's own expense.
In relating the tale of Simba, the lion cub who must fight his villainous uncle,
Scar, to regain his kingdom after the murder of his beloved father, King Mufasa,
Taymor -- along with her mask and puppetry design partner, Michael Curry -- uses
and expands on many of the same puppetry techniques showcased in "Juan
Darien." Many of the characters are evoked by the use of masks situated
over the performers' heads, a technique that effectively conveys the various
animal characteristics while at the same time allowing the actors to perform
relatively unobstructed. Puppets -- of the miniature, larger-than-life and
shadow variety -- are also employed to great effect.
The opening number -- featuring elephants, giraffes, rhinos and leaping
antelope, among many others -- is a stunner. The animal creations burst onto the
stage and also proceed down the aisles of the theater, enveloping the audience
from all sides. Taymor's theatrical ingenuity is demonstrated time and time
again, particularly in such challenging scenes as the wildebeest stampede that
threatens Simba and Timon's precipitous plunge down a waterfall. The techniques
she employs are simple yet ingenious -- when some lions shed tears, for example,
the effect is conveyed by pulling strings of cloth from their eyes -- and nearly
without exception they work beautifully.
All the beloved characters are here, embodied by a cast whose physical exertions
are as notable as their acting ability. Samuel E. Wright plays Mufasa with
exactly the right combination of nobility and gentle humor, while John Vickery
is marvelously snide and stylish as Scar. Geoff Hoyle scores big laughs as the
daffy dodo bird Zazu, and 12-year-old Scott Irby-Ranniar and Jason Raize are
both very appealing as, respectively, the young and older versions of Simba. Max
Casella (you'll remember him as Vinnie in "Doogie Howser") brings a
terrific Borscht Belt style comic verve to Timon, and Tom Alan Robbins is
equally funny as the warthog Pumbaa.
A real standout -- and a certain Tony nominee -- is Tsidii Le Loka as the
mystical Rafiki; her rendition of the soaring number "He Lives in You"
(one of the most beautifully staged numbers in the show) is stunning. The rest
of the large ensemble, who beautifully embody everything from animals to grassy
plains, will no doubt require much physical therapy to offset their strenuous
physical efforts.
The original score by Elton John and Tim Rice -- which contains such winners as
"Circle of Life," "Hakuna Matata," and, of course, "Can
You Feel the Love Tonight" -- has been retained, with the pair providing
three decent but unmemorable new songs for the stage version. Other
African-influenced musical numbers, such as the beautiful "He Lives in
You," come from a variety of other contributors, including soundtrack
composer Hans Zimmer and, particularly, South African composer Lebo M.
Also contributing to the show's success are Richard Hudson's evocative and
stylish scenic design and Garth Fagan's energetic and exciting African-style
choreography.
THE LION KING
A Disney presentation
Music and lyrics: Elton John, Tim Rice
Additional music and lyrics: Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor,
Hans Zimmer
Book: Rogers Allers, Irene Mecchi
Director: Julie Taymor
Choreography: Garth Fagan
Scenic design: Richard Hudson
Costume design: Julie Taymor
Lighting design: Donald Holder
Mask and puppet design: Julie Taymor, Michael Curry
Sound design: Tony Meola
Cast:
Scar: John Vickery
Mufasa: Samuel E. Wright
Zazu: Geoff Hoyle
Rafiki: Tsidii Le Loka
Timon: Max Casella
Pumbaa: Tom Alan Robbins
Simba: Jason Raize
Nala: Heather Headley Young
Young Simba: Scott Irby-Ranniar
 
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