Has THE LION KING lost its quan or did we catch a bad night?

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 10:22pm

I just got home from THE LION KING after leaving at intermission. With a niece visiting from out of town, I thought it would be the perfect introduction to live theatre. Instead, she looked at me during "The Morning Report" and asked when we could leave. I was ready at that very minute, believe me.

Honestly, I saw this show several years ago and LOVED it. I often reference it as a milestone for some truly remarkable musical stagecraft and appreciate that Disney made it happen. Still, tonight I was dumbfounded. It was, in a word, dreadful. The singing was pitchy, the dancing drained of all energy, and the timing of dialogue was off pace.

Has anyone seen the show recently, having caught it earlier in its run? Did we get a second-show-in-a-day effort from the cast? Also, the sound in the Minskoff was horrible. Nothing seemed to blend when it needed to or pop when it should have. We were dead center orchestra. Were we in a pocket?

Please, any recent thoughts and comparisons would be welcome. I've got 10 more nieces and nephews (no joke) who will be visiting in coming months. Sadly, none of them are old enough for GREY GARDENS, COMPANY, or SPRING AWAKENING.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 10:27pm

I saw the show back in 1997 - when it was the hottest of hot tickets. My uncle took his family and myself - he's a Disney bigwig, so I thought he got the great seats as comps. Turns out he bought them from a scalper. That said, I loved the show. It was visually stunning, remarkable, breathtaking, every great compliment you can give it.

I bought my parents tickets for their wedding anniversary over the summer, right after it transferred to the Minskoff. I was significantly disappointed by it all. It's now suffering from "style over everything." Bring Taymor back to work out the bugs. Sad to hear it's still not up to par.

[Just_John]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 10:27pm

Yup I loved it when I saw it three years ago. Over Christmas break a woman gave me a ticket for FREE in the 5th row center orchestra right before a perfroance when I was waiting in line to see if they had standing room. But I thought it was absolutely terrible. Last time I was sitting in the mezz, so I was thinking maybe it's better from a distance not being able to see faces and just the puppets.

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 10:32pm

Thanks for the feedback, guys. Sad to hear, but glad I'm not completely alone on this one.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 10:42pm

I saw it last month and thought it was fine.

[Lauren_T]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 10:42pm

I saw it like a year ago and after the Circle of Life I was ready to leave. But when I saw it in 2001 it was amazing! SO I dont know what happened to it.

[sondhead]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 11:02pm

I saw it in 2004 and it was awful. I don't think it had "become" that way. The structure of the show is just almost non-existant. The problem with all Disney shows is that the bones of a fantastic stage story are there but they are so chained to these iconic movies that they can't *adapt* them. You want to tell The Lion King in a meaningful way? Cut out Timon and Pumba. They do nothing. They help him become a man and grow up, you say? Actually, if Simba listened to them he would have "no worries" and blow off the problems back home. That show is only about elaborate puppets and other cool effects.

It all really fell down for me in that scene with Timon falling down the waterfall. What the hell was that about?

[sondhead]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 11:02pm

I saw it in 2004 and it was awful. I don't think it had "become" that way. The structure of the show is just almost non-existant. The problem with all Disney shows is that the bones of a fantastic stage story are there but they are so chained to these iconic movies that they can't *adapt* them. You want to tell The Lion King in a meaningful way? Cut out Timon and Pumba. They do nothing. They help him become a man and grow up, you say? Actually, if Simba listened to them he would have "no worries" and blow off the problems back home. That show is only about elaborate puppets and other cool effects.

It all really fell down for me in that scene with Timon falling down the waterfall. What the hell was that about?

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 11:06pm

Why cut out Timon and Puumba? They are a major part of the story. And important too.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 11:09pm

I saw the first tour in 2002 and wasn't impressed. It seems like Disney shows fall into this pattern: They start out great but as time goes on they fall apart. When I saw the first BATB tour in 1997, I was in awe. I had never been so captivated. When it came back around in 2001, I was very disappointed. To say it was lackluster would be putting it mildly. The sets and effects were scaled back, and the tone was clowny and unsophisticated. It reminded me of children's theater with a huge budget. And that was the feeling I got when I saw TLK.

Updated On: 2/21/07 at 11:09 PM

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 11:12pm

I saw it on tour a few years ago and really didn't like it much.

[HumATune]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 11:22pm

I agree Sondhead, TLK is just not a good show. Sure it looks good but who cares? The book is terrible. There's too much silly stuff going on because they wanted to keep it similar to the movie.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 2/21/07 at 11:23pm

I saw the show on tour this summer, and it didn't thrill me. The opening was beautiful and breath-taking, and everything just went downhill from there. There were moments I was ready to fall asleep. Not even all the staging held up to all the hype. It was just OK for me.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:09am

I saw it originally in previews and Loved it, saw it again recently (free ticket) and was like WTF?
The acting and singing was atrocious.
And it looked horrible in it's new home,
what happened?

[Julian2]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:22am

I had a friend who had a similar experience. He saw it a few months ago and was completely underwhelmed. He felt the same as many, that Circle of Life was gorgeous, but the material just went downhill from there.

[LouieLovesTheater]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:26am

I saw it during its initial run in Minneapolis before it went to NYC and it was freaking amazing.

I've since seen it in London, NYC, and on tour again. The London production was OK, the NYC production was horrendous and the tour was decent. I just feel like there is no onus on the actors/production team to give it 100% because they still are sold out all the time and never need to worry about the show closing. No passion. And that's what the show had in abundance from the original cast.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:26am

Oh dear. I hope it doesn't *close* soon like BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. After all, we need our Disney.

Updated On: 2/22/07 at 12:26 AM

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:31am

We Do

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:50am

Isn't it still playing to near-capacity houses?

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:02am

Yes so I don't see why people are complaining, it's still a huge hit so everyone should stop complaining about it losing its shine because it's far from it.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:06am

actually it may be on TKTS soon.
where it can dwell for years and years and years.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:12am

I thought it lost its shine. I was totally underwhelemd for most of the show. And, to be completely honest, I though even some of Taymor's staging wasn't up to par with other moments in the show.

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:32am

Okay, just because something is a huge hit doesn't automatically make it good.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:46am

Just to add what I said before...

Overall I thought the show was fine; however, I saw a Nala understudy...Kylin something...she was terrible and totally ruined Shadowland for me.

[FutureAladdinOnB'Way]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:47am

"Okay, just because something is a huge hit doesn't automatically make it good."
No, but it IS good and it IS a huge hit