Most are familiar with the Lion King storyline from the original 1994 Disney film version on which it is based. The theatre production essentially follows the same tale, with the addition of a few extra songs and performed in a very different style. The director of this show, Julie Taymor, was tasked with taking a film that was entirely animated and translating it into something that could be performed with real live actors. Not only that, but the story revolves around the use of wild animals including lions, warthogs and meerkats, as well as a variety of other species in the background. How could this be performed in a way that would be taken seriously on the stage?
Julie Taymor and the production team completely revisualised the story using puppetry and amazing set design to bring such an epic story to life. One of the most amazing scenes uses a rotating background to capture the idea of stampeding wildebeest. The creativity that went into bringing this unconventional production to life really is magnificent. From the very first scene of the show, you are thrown straight into the wonder, with the song ‘Circle of Life’, involving extraordinary puppets of various animals, from birds to elephants, some amazing singing, and a giant glowing sun rising from the back of the stage. The show also takes the audience from intense drama to light-hearted comedy, with characters such as Zazu, Timon and Pumbaa to relieve the tension.
The story is originally based on that of Hamlet by Shakespeare, but is adapted to take place within the animal kingdom, where the lions are royalty and rule over the savannah plains of Africa, keeping the peace and maintaining the circle of life. Simba, the lion prince, is a cub and is still learning how to rule from his father, the king, Mufasa. But, Mufasa’s brother Scar is jealous of Simba, since he is the reason that Scar will never get to rule the kingdom. He seeks to get rid of Mufasa and Simba in order to make himself the rightful heir to the throne. Telling Simba to wait within a gorge for his father, he causes a wildebeest stampede into the gorge. Mufasa attempts to rescue his son and is killed in the process but Scar makes Simba believe that his father’s death is his own fault and out of shame Simba leaves to start a new life away from the pride. When Scar takes over with an evil rule, along with the Hyenas, Simba is the only one with the power to stop him and regain control, but does he have the courage to return to his family and take back the throne?
In September of this year, the film and theatre productions together became the top-earning title in box office history, showing just how popular the franchise is, and the show is the fourth longest running in Broadway history which shows it was made to last! For your chance to see what all the fuss is about, its run continues at the Minskoff Theatre in New York and the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End, so now is as good a time as any to take a trip to see this epic adaptation!
Image from: http://broadwaycritic.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/the-lion-king-poster63.jpg
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