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Phindile Mkhize as “Rafiki” in the opening number, “The
Circle of Life.” Photo by Joan Marcus |
There
is arguably no sight in theater that’s more spectacular than
the opening of The Lion King, with birds, giraffes,
elephants, rhinos and other animals assembling to honor the
birth of the future king, Simba. The production design,
colors, costumes and energy of the scene are heightened by
Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Circle of Life,” which slowly
builds to a crescendo that’ll bring a smile to your face and
goose bumps to your arm.
The rest of the show,
which is now playing at the Broward Center for the
Performing Arts as part of the Broadway Across America tour,
is a continued tour-de-force of lavish production values and
visual splendor. The story, however, is another matter
altogether. The heart and emotional sweetness of Disney’s
1994 film is ominously lost in the garish spectacle that is
this production.
The basics remain the
same: Deep in the heart of Africa, lion cub Simba is
convinced by his Uncle Scar that he is responsible for the
death of his father, King Mufasa, and flees Pride Rock
vowing to never return. Scar takes over and, with the help
of the hyenas, ruins the land yet wonders why people don’t
respect him. Meanwhile, Simba grows up in the forest and
makes friends with Timon, a meerkat, and Pumbaa, a warthog.
It’s not until Simba’s childhood friend Nala happens upon
him one day that Simba realizes his true calling and returns
to Pride Rock to claim his throne.
Roger Allers (who also
co-directed the movie) and Irene Mecchi wrote the story
here, and it’s a telling sign that the performance begins at
8 p.m. and Act 2 doesn’t start until 9.45 p.m.; the entire
movie — songs, heartbreak, betrayal and all, was only 90
minutes. All the Disney songs are performed and very well,
including “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” which gets a bit
sappy but remains aesthetically beautiful; Scar’s “Be
Prepared”; Timon and Pumbaa’s “Hakuna Matata”; and the
aforementioned “Circle of Life”/“Nants’ Ingonyama” (the
opening lyrics of the show). The only exception to this is
Young Simba’s “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” which doesn’t
have the enthusiasm or earnestness needed to make it truly
resonate.
Filling the extra hour of
the show are original songs by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay
Rifkin and composer Hans Zimmer. The works of Lebo M
are the beautiful tribal dances that are quite breathtaking,
but also leave you to wonder about their relevance to the
central story (in short, there is none).
With a story that
struggles, it’s difficult for the actors to shine, but
Timothy Carter gives an admirably devious performance as
Scar, with an eloquent singing voice to match. Otherwise,
most of the acting prowess is hidden under layers of
costumes and makeup, although the adult Nala (Chaunteé
Schuler) has a beautiful voice and John Plumpis and Ben
Lipitz (as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively) are just as funny
and touching as their cartoon predecessors.
The Lion King
won six Tony Awards in 1998, including best new musical and
best director of a musical for the very talented Julie
Taymor (who also won for her costume design). Perhaps not
surprisingly, the other wins were for technical awards,
including scenic design, choreography and lighting design —
all of which are well-deserved and ably re-created at the
Broward Center.
But as in any narrative
medium, it is the story that must come first when evaluating
the work’s overall quality. And because the story lacks the
heart of the film and at times makes the production feel
like an overlong, exasperating experience, the show as a
whole suffers.
Comments? E-mail
dhudak22@yahoo.com.
The Lion King is
onstage through Sunday, June 3 at the Broward Center for the
Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Ticket
prices range from $25.75 to $75.25 and can be purchased at
the theater’s box office, online at browardcenter.org or by
calling 954-462-0222.
