The Lion King Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh 7th June 2022 Review
The Lion King is at the Playhouse Theatre Edinburgh for roughly one month (Thu 2 Jun - Sat 2 July) and, as always with this show, it looked tonight like pretty much every ticket in the theatre had been sold to the many fans out there of the show that has over the years since its first performance (1997) simply become a cultural phenomenon. In theatrical terms, the Lion King is simply unique and the way that Disney have for this show retained elements of their original 1994 animated cartoon whilst also creating a live action stage show is to say the least highly imaginative as we follow the story of a lion cub (Simba) who is born to be King of the Pridelands.
To bring the much loved characters of the original animated film, the landscape of the Serengeti Plains and the pulsing musical rhythms of Africa to life requires not only a hugely talented cast of performance artists, but also 232 puppets and six spoken African languages for every show. This combination of highly creative puppetry interacting constantly with a live cast tells this story in an immersive way that only live performance theatre can deliver to an audience. The sheer creativity of puppetry design and use, set and costume design, plus lighting and sound shows at every level throughout this production.
This is in essence a story in two halves as we follow the story of Simba the lion cub and his father Mufasa and uncle Scar in Act One, and in Act Two, as a now young adult setting out to reclaim his rightful birth heritage. This stage production is of course a musical with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice (plus some additional music not by them). The two main songs in this show “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Circle of Life” have already been massive hit songs in their own rights, but it is the latter that is at the very core of this story of not only Simba, but all life on the “Pridelands”, the never ending cycle of eternal renewal of everything that lives, and that includes the land itself and the skies above. All of this music was brought into life this evening by The Lion King Orchestra
Disney have a well-deserved reputation for attention to the smallest detail in their stage productions, and being willing to spend the financial resources needed to create “spectacular shows”. The Lion King is no exception, and you can see that level of care and obvious large show budget everywhere you look. Wherever in the world you see The Lion King performed, Disney will make sure that you get the same theatrical experience too. The only possible downside to this is that the show (as with any large and successful theatre production), is always going to be bigger than creating individual “star performers”. Having said this though, no one is going to get to perform on the stage of this show unless they are very, very good at what they do.
This, at times, is almost the Biblical story of Cain and Abel transferred to the animal kingdom as Simba’s father Mufasa and his uncle Scar play out their respective roles while young Simba is caught up in a world of politics and plays for power far outside of his control and understanding. Here Jean-Luc Guizonne brings a regal, wise and maybe a little bit haughty Lion King Mufasa into life, whilst Richard Hurst brings an almost Victorian vaudeville villain into creation with his performance of the ever scheming for power Scar. As is so often the case, the villain gets the best lines too, and there are some fine one-liners for Richard to have fun with here. Of course, a story like this has to have a love interest too, and that here is the friendship from childhood that grows into a romance between Simba and Nala. Performing the older roles of both so well this evening are Stephenson Ardern-Sodje and Nokwanda Khuzwayo. As always, the roles of the young Simba and Nala come from a changing cast of young performers through the run of the show. For this performance those parts were played well by Cordell Munyawiri and Lauren Simpe-Asante.
Bringing everyone’s favourite characters from the original animated film into life on stage was never going to be an easy task, bit a combination of creative puppetry and costume design has done exactly this here with Thandazile Soni as the female Mandrill narrator Rafiki doing a good job of linking all the story lines together. Classic theatrical (and cartoon) style humour is also well provided by Matthew Forbes as Zazu the hornbill. There are interesting comedy duo performances too from Alan McHale (Timon the Meercat) and Carl Sanderson (Pumbaa, the very colourful warthog). It would be unfair not to mention the many hyenas too and, although they can be a little bit irritating and annoying at times, they are meant to be like this.
The Lion King is by any theatrical standards a large production (both on and off stage) and it is surprising in the way that it makes no attempt to hide away from the realities of what a lion and so many other animals on the Serenge ti Plains have to do to survive – hunt and kill their prey. Somehow though, the show does this in a way that makes this part of the story that will not upset (I hope) the many children that obviously love this show like they loved the original animated film.
So much of the success of The Lion King must of course go to Julie Taymor (Director, costume design, mask/puppet design and additional lyrics).
Review by Tom King (c) 2022
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com
To bring the much loved characters of the original animated film, the landscape of the Serengeti Plains and the pulsing musical rhythms of Africa to life requires not only a hugely talented cast of performance artists, but also 232 puppets and six spoken African languages for every show. This combination of highly creative puppetry interacting constantly with a live cast tells this story in an immersive way that only live performance theatre can deliver to an audience. The sheer creativity of puppetry design and use, set and costume design, plus lighting and sound shows at every level throughout this production.
This is in essence a story in two halves as we follow the story of Simba the lion cub and his father Mufasa and uncle Scar in Act One, and in Act Two, as a now young adult setting out to reclaim his rightful birth heritage. This stage production is of course a musical with music by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice (plus some additional music not by them). The two main songs in this show “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “Circle of Life” have already been massive hit songs in their own rights, but it is the latter that is at the very core of this story of not only Simba, but all life on the “Pridelands”, the never ending cycle of eternal renewal of everything that lives, and that includes the land itself and the skies above. All of this music was brought into life this evening by The Lion King Orchestra
Disney have a well-deserved reputation for attention to the smallest detail in their stage productions, and being willing to spend the financial resources needed to create “spectacular shows”. The Lion King is no exception, and you can see that level of care and obvious large show budget everywhere you look. Wherever in the world you see The Lion King performed, Disney will make sure that you get the same theatrical experience too. The only possible downside to this is that the show (as with any large and successful theatre production), is always going to be bigger than creating individual “star performers”. Having said this though, no one is going to get to perform on the stage of this show unless they are very, very good at what they do.
This, at times, is almost the Biblical story of Cain and Abel transferred to the animal kingdom as Simba’s father Mufasa and his uncle Scar play out their respective roles while young Simba is caught up in a world of politics and plays for power far outside of his control and understanding. Here Jean-Luc Guizonne brings a regal, wise and maybe a little bit haughty Lion King Mufasa into life, whilst Richard Hurst brings an almost Victorian vaudeville villain into creation with his performance of the ever scheming for power Scar. As is so often the case, the villain gets the best lines too, and there are some fine one-liners for Richard to have fun with here. Of course, a story like this has to have a love interest too, and that here is the friendship from childhood that grows into a romance between Simba and Nala. Performing the older roles of both so well this evening are Stephenson Ardern-Sodje and Nokwanda Khuzwayo. As always, the roles of the young Simba and Nala come from a changing cast of young performers through the run of the show. For this performance those parts were played well by Cordell Munyawiri and Lauren Simpe-Asante.
Bringing everyone’s favourite characters from the original animated film into life on stage was never going to be an easy task, bit a combination of creative puppetry and costume design has done exactly this here with Thandazile Soni as the female Mandrill narrator Rafiki doing a good job of linking all the story lines together. Classic theatrical (and cartoon) style humour is also well provided by Matthew Forbes as Zazu the hornbill. There are interesting comedy duo performances too from Alan McHale (Timon the Meercat) and Carl Sanderson (Pumbaa, the very colourful warthog). It would be unfair not to mention the many hyenas too and, although they can be a little bit irritating and annoying at times, they are meant to be like this.
The Lion King is by any theatrical standards a large production (both on and off stage) and it is surprising in the way that it makes no attempt to hide away from the realities of what a lion and so many other animals on the Serenge ti Plains have to do to survive – hunt and kill their prey. Somehow though, the show does this in a way that makes this part of the story that will not upset (I hope) the many children that obviously love this show like they loved the original animated film.
So much of the success of The Lion King must of course go to Julie Taymor (Director, costume design, mask/puppet design and additional lyrics).
Review by Tom King (c) 2022
www.artsreviewsedinburgh.com