King of the Jungle

12-3-2008

I remember seeing the movie when I was a young’n, singing the songs, loving the characters. Then 10 years ago I remember hearing how Elton John went back at it to turn this loveable movie into a musical. I tucked that under my hat knowing that I’d get around to seeing to someday. Well today was the day I finally saw the stage adaptation of The Lion King.

From the end of “Circle of Life”, the opening number, when the audience roared with ecstasy to the songs reprise to cap the show off, it’s no wonder it’s been running for 10 years.

For the most part, it was the movie, verbatim. Same lines, songs, familiar characters, everything the world has come to know and love about the Lion King. But there were also many differences, good and bad. A few of the added songs didn’t really do much for me, particularly the one the hyenas sing…distorted electric guitar in the Lion King?

Other differences were all for the better, mostly the differences that made it a stage show, such as puppetry-like costumes. Incredible. The costumes used in this show are worth the tickets price themselves. The way the extras move like the animals they are portraying is inspiring. The dance numbers are also an added bonus that the stage lent to this inspiring tale. And I wish I would have purchased a program so I could have figured out the name of the little girl playing Nala. She’ll make it far.