Review: THE LION KING at Providence Performing Arts Center

The Lion King swept the Tony Awards when it was on Broadway, and even for this semi-skeptical theatre reviewer, it’s easy to see why.  It feels impossible to translate a cartoon about the lives of animals into a stage production performed by people, or at least, it seems like it will inevitably be kind of corny.  This production, however, is completely unlike any other theatrical experience.  It hews faithfully enough to the story to satisfy the super fans, but adds so many new elements that it’s astonishing and delightful to watch.

The show opens with the birth of baby lion cub Simba, future king of the Pride Lands, and the most famous song from the movie The Circle of Life.  All the animals make the journey to see the future king, and this is when the audience starts to fully realize the scope of this production.  The cast is massive, and various animals call to each other and journey toward the stage from all areas of PPAC.  This powerful opening scene is almost overwhelming as you get to see so many stunning animal costumes all at once–including a massive elephant, streaming down the aisles of the theatre toward the stage, while Rafiki (Zama Magudulela) leads the song.  Still photos can’t capture the excitement of the moment, and the feeling of immersion into this world makes the massive space of PPAC feel almost as intimate as a much smaller venue.  The music was also more immersive than usual as the orchestra pit seemed slightly more open, and there were percussionists in the small balconies on either side of the stage.

The rest of the production follows the story and songs of the movie quite closely, but there are a few added scenes that create a feeling of place that grounds the story in its world beautifully.  These extra touches, and the spectacular sets and costumes are what make this a production worth seeing.  Since this show has been around and touring for nearly 20 years, people will be familiar with the costumes, but watching the actors work and move within the brilliantly-designed costumes (Julie Taymor) really brings this show to another level.  

The lion masks hover slightly above the performers faces, but depending on the way the actor is standing, the mask can obscure their faces. Peter Hargrave’s performance as Scar was a standout of the night, in part because of  the way he worked with the costume to sharpen his delivery, which created a masterful depth of character.  Conversations between Scar and Mufasa were particularly effective as well, as the two actors would slip their masks down over their faces in heated moments which gives the impression of two lions snarling at each other.  All of the performances were excellent and finely-honed, and the two youngest actors playing Nala (Journey Compas/ Marley Gomes) and Simba (Aaron Chao/ Josiah Watson) in Act I commanded the stage like seasoned professionals.

Despite the fact that this is an incredibly well-known story that one can easily watch several versions of from the comfort of their couch, this stage production is something incredibly special.  It manages to do things on stage that this reviewer has never seen before, and all with physical sets.  It’s always heartening to go to the theatre and see young people experiencing live performance for the first time, and this show will take even the most cynical tween and make them believe in the power of live performance.

Photo: Peter Hargrave as Scar and David D'Lancey Wilson as Mufasa. Photo by Evan Zimmerman

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