Review: DISNEY'S THE LION KING at National Arts Centre

Last night’s production of Disney’s The Lion King, presented by Broadway Across Canada opened with a roar. This Tony-award winning show is the longest running tour and highest grossing musical. It is easy to see why it continues to be so successful, thirty years after the release of the animated film upon which it is based. A classic tale of good versus evil, the story also relays the importance of family and the interconnectedness of all life on Earth.

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The musical’s opening number, “The Circle of Life” is an extravaganza celebrating all the beings of the Pride Lands, as they come together to welcome the arrival of the future king, Simba. This number is truly extraordinary – animals of all shapes and sizes approach the stage made possible only through the incredible artistry of Julie Taymor and Michael Curry, the show’s designers, including two giraffes, an elephant, and a rhinoceros. The audience was visibly moved by the spectacle.

The music, performed by twelve musicians playing over eighty different musical instruments from around the world presents a combination of beloved songs from the animated film, including “I Just Can’t Wait to be King”, “Be Prepared”, and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”, with music created for the Broadway musical, including “Morning Report”, “Endless Night”, and “One by One”.

The show’s physicality and choreography are impressive, not only with respect to the main characters but the entire ensemble, who are constantly in motion with accessories that include headdresses, kites, and even, in the case of the giraffes, stilts. The lions’ masks are designed in such a way that they either sit on top of the head or allow them to sit in front of the face so that the audience can simultaneously see the actor as a human and as a lion depending on their movements.

Unfortunately, the sound at the National Arts Centre’s Southam Hall was poor on opening night; this venue is continuously plagued by sound issues. Hopefully, it will be improved for the rest of the run. Because of the sound quality, both lyrics and spoken words were often difficult to make out through no fault of the actors.

The acting was solid; there have been a several recent additions to the cast and some more time may be needed to develop deeper chemistry among the actors. Two scenes that really stood out to me were the scene with Scar (Peter Hargrave), Mufasa (Darnell Abraham) and Young Simba (this is a shared role; Julian Villela was on stage opening night) with the wildebeest in the gorge, and the scene where Simba (Erick D. Patrick) and Rafiki (Mukelisiwe Goba) reflect on Simba’s heritage. Those two scenes were played with such emotion, it was hard not to get teary-eyed. Likewise, “They Live in You”, performed by Abraham, was one of the most touching songs of the evening. Zazu (Nick LaMedica), Timon (Nick Cordileone) and Pumbaa (Danny Grumich) were played with enthusiasm and served as the much-needed comic relief to contrast with heavier scenes.

With its timeless message of family and unity, catchy musical numbers, and incredible artistry, this musical will undoubtedly continue to enthrall another generation of audience members, as people who grew up with the movie now take their children and grandchildren to experience the musical.

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