Thoughts About "King"

Ok, time for the review of the stage musical The Lion King.  On Friday, I wrote of being somewhat concerned about my reaction given the hype the show has received.  We have waited about 5 years for this show to finally hit town, so that is a lot of expectation to bear.  So how did it do? 

As I have mentioned in the past, I have seen my fair share of musicals.  I did a count at one point, so I think I am probably now somewhere around 50 different musical mark in my lifetime... and, given repeats, many more performances than that.  While I have not done an "official ranking," I am guessing The Lion King lands somewhere in the #4 thru #7 slots.  Pretty darn good, huh?   Did I expect it to land in the Top 3?   Probably.

So where did it fall short?  I don't think it is the strongest musical out there -- I am not a total theater geek (believe it or not!), but perhaps it is the "book" that I am talking about.  We all know the famous songs from the show, but at times it seemed that I was just waiting for the next "hit" to come along.  There were some new pieces added for the stage, but I can't tell you what they were -- and they did not stand out.   I found the show sluggish in spots -- a common criticism I have with most musicals, they always seem a tad too long.

The show also seemed to lack stand-out performances.  We had some substitutions at our performance, most notably Simba.   Normally, I rarely take notice of understudies -- but since this was a pretty prominent part, it stuck in my head.   Again, I am not sure if it was the actor or the material -- but I can't really think of being knocked out by any of the vocals from the show.  This show demands a lot of its cast, but soaring and memorable vocals are not one of those things.

Also, dare I say the show lacked a little emotion.  I read of grown men sniffling in the audience at performances, so given my somewhat sensitive nature - I was worried about keeping my own emotions in check.  But I did not have any tangible reaction to the father-son bonding stuff or when Mufasa died.  I do admit to a little lump in the throat at the opening and closing scenes - but the "Circle of Life" stuff always gets to me!

So, now you are probably wondering how the show ever even landed in my Top10?!?  Well, without a doubt, The Lion King was probably the most visually stunning piece of theater I have ever seen.  Julie Taymor, LK's creative force, is pure genius.  The costumes, puppets, masks were simply breathtaking.  When the giraffes walked out on the stage, there was an audible - and well-deserved - gasp from the crowd.  It was simply mind-boggling at times the things this show pulled off -- and pull off eight times a week.  And kudos to the supporting cast, who are asked to take on several (dozens of?) physically challenging roles each performance - from animals to dancers to plant life.   As with most "big" musicals, the stage also seems in constant movement - with props and pieces whirling around the stage or magically and seemingly appearing from out of nowhere. 

So while it is impossible to separate the "technical" vs. "artistic" scores in The Lion King (since they are so tied up in each other), I guess what I am ultimately saying is that the execution exceeds the piece.  The stage incarnation of this beloved animated feature could have been disastrous under lesser hands - but thanks to Taymor and the other creative forces - they lift what could have been the ordinary into extraordinary territory.

Comments

[Scott-O-Rama]

It's too bad you didn't see it with a better cast, particularly in the role of the adult Simba. When I saw it in NYC, Jason Raize was playing Simba, and his performance of "Endless Night" (one of the new songs for the show) was incredibly powerful and didn't leave a dry eye in the house. It was performances such as his that lifted the show emotionally. Sadly, Jason committed suicide last year. See http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=33877

Also, Heather Headly's performance of "Shadowlands" was achingly beautiful. It was easy to see then that she was a rising star.

I don't get to see LK until near the end of February, but I'm anxious to compare the performances. The LK is such a visually stunning and emotionally powewrful show, I have high expectations. Based on your review, I'm a little worried.