| Product: |
Lion King |
| Date: |
19/04/08 (306 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: The Lion King is visually spectacular, the songs are lovely and it held my attention
Disadvantages: ---------
You might have noticed a distinct lack of reviews from me for a few days and that is because I have just come back from a lovely short break to London based around a visit to the Lyceum to see the Lion King musical. Me and my sister had tickets brought for us from my daughter at Christmas and we decided we would book into a nice hotel for 3 days so we could go sight seeing because it has been a long time since either of us were in London.
I was very excited the day we were due to go and see The Lion King and we got to the theatre an hour early because I was worried that we would not be able to get a taxi and would be late. I have been looking forward to seeing this musical for a long time and was very curious as to how they could have adapted a cartoon into a fabulous musical that I have been hearing good things about since it first opened.
As it was about to start there was a reverend hush around the theatre and from the very first opening scene the audience, me included, were enthralled. The music is surely the most important thing about a musical and the score throughout The Lion King was well matched to what was happening on stage with happy and sad music used as the story went on.
My favourite part was when Simba realised he was going to get the blame for his fathers murder because through the art of dance the actor who played Simba went through a lot of emotions from grief to anger and then to sadness with lots of emotions in between. All of the dancers in The Lion King are very talented and I think they must have been picked especially for the drama they were able to give to the various parts. The movements were all very fluid and well rehearsed and I could tell they must have spend hundreds of hours not only performing but also practising their dances and movements.
The scenery added a lot to the musical. It was beautifully painted African landscapes in lots of burnished golds, reds and browns which gave a dramatic backdrop for the performers and reminded me of the lovely drawings of the landscapes in the Lion King video I have got at home. I think the scenery was just right for The Lion King musical because it put me in mind of an African plain ruled by the lions.
I also thought the costumes were beautiful. The performers had their faces painted in what looked to me like African mask designs and even though I would not say they were particularly lion like in appearance there was no doubting what animal they were portraying because they all looked proud and magnificent. I liked how bright the make up and costumes were and they gave the performers a sense of majesty which really brought across to me the lion theme of the show.
The story of The Lion King musical is a simple but brilliant one. Simba, the small lion cub, will be king one day but at the beginning of the show he is a carefree cub content with playing around with his friends. This all changes when his uncle Scar hatches a plot to murder King Mustafa so that he can become King of the beasts which Simba is still to young to take his crown. The musical is performed beautifully so that the audience can follow every twist and turn in the story and at the same time enjoy the songs, music and dancing without worrying about understanding an overly complicated plot such as that used in Les Miserables.
My favourite song was when Simba sang I Just Can't Wait To Be King because I could tell that the lion cub was excited that he would eventually rule the lions and it was a song I could tap my foot to as I watched. Chow Down was also a very good song and I thought it was very menacing the way the hyenas sang to Simba in the stunning Elephant Graveyard. This is what made the show so perfect, because the performers were expert in creating atmosphere on the stage and I think even without music or songs it would have been a stunning show to watch because the dancers and performers were so fluid and well trained. I did wonder how they moved so lightly in some of the bulkier costumes though.!
Tickets for The Lion King cost between £50 and £65 but my daughter booked ours as part of a hotel and show deal on the website and she paid about £160 for our 2 tickets to the show and a night in a nice hotel where we were well looked after. I extended the booking at the hotel for an extra 2 nights because I had had such a good time at the Lyceum and did not want my break to end.
Summary: If you get the chance to go and see The Lion King then do take it.
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