Has THE LION KING lost its quan or did we catch a bad night?- Page 2

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:56am

It is a huge hit, I'll grant you that. Whether or not it's good is a matter of personal taste. I personally didn't like it, but that's my opinion.

[Jilani]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:59am

I've seen it in London, on tour in Chicago, and twice on Broadway (once in the New Amsterdam and once at the Minskoff), and I thought it was less impressive each time. I think part of what's going on is that the wow factor just isn't there on repeat viewings - because the strength of the show is in the visuals, its impact is diminished when you know what's coming. I do think it seemed cooler in the New Amsterdam than in the Minskoff, despite the fact that they don't appear to have scaled anything back on the transfer.

[winston89]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 3:48am

I saw the show in september and even though I had some idea of what visuals were comming next I sitll liked it. But, I find it amazing that its been playing for close to ten years and it hasn't yet once been on the tkts window. Also, I have heard rumors of disney wanting to buy the Minskoff from the Nederlanders because the lion king is playing there and all other disney shows aside from poppins are playing at Nederlander houses.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:01am

It's never been anything more than a fantastic opening number followed by a show that was never able to top itself afterwards.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:31am

Dodger, I'd suggest taking hte other nieces and nephews to Mary Poppins.

[Smartful Dodger]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:34am

Very interesting comments, all. I appreciate the feedback. I'm not sure that it's a matter of the visuals being so stunning on first viewing that one loses that sense of surprise at subsequent performances. I always look for something more when I see things multiple times (yes, I deconstruct ad nauseum). Last night's performance left me both disappointed and empty.

I'm glad THE DAILY SHOW redeemed my faith in good storytelling with a cool bit about Dick Cheney, his daughter, and children used in political photo ops. I went to bed happy...

[AnaGFan]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:41am

Saw it last summer and was very disappointed. The singing was off, they couldn't hit the right notes. The story seemed to drag. And we got hit by one of the bird puppets.

Take the kids to Mary Poppins!

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:51am

And we got hit by one of the bird puppets.

I'm sorry to laugh at your expense, but that one gave me a good chuckle!

Updated On: 2/22/07 at 09:51 AM

[ThankstoPhantom]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:56am

Mary Poppins is awesome and I suggest you take the rest to Mary Poppins. This time of year, tickets are easy to get Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Cheap seats are on the balcony, and they all have great views.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 10:00am

Pride Rock is definitely scaled down.

[sidjones09]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 10:23am

"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."

So if a show has been sold out by people who bought tickets sometimes up to a year in advance, it's OK that the cast half asses the performance because they're SOLD OUT? Come on now.

I will agree with most of the comments here, the first time I saw it on Broadway in '99. It was magic. Still fluff, there is no way around that with a Disney show, but it was well done artistic fluff with solid performances by the entire cast. Saw it again in '06 and couldn't believe that the cast, especially the ensemble could even get away with such a half assed performance. It was awful. I agree if you haven't seen it before the visuals might be enough to take your mind off of the poor acting, singing, and dancing. But if you have seen it before, the poor acting, singing, and dancing, is ALL you see. When I say poor, I mean it's just not tight or sharp anymore, the cast is obviously a talented group otherwise they wouldn't be there, but maybe they're saving there talents for other projects, because they sure weren't using them in the Lion King the last time I saw it, with the exception of Zazu (who was an understudy) and Patrick Page as Scar who is always solid.

It's time for a brush up rehearsal Lion King, and I ain't talkin about a 2 hour one either. You owe it to the people who are payin' $100+ a ticket and the kids who are seeing it for the first time and are looking for more than lights and costumes.

Updated On: 2/22/07 at 10:23 AM

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 11:30am

Patrick Page was Scar on the first tour, and was excellent as always. Also, Fredi Walker-Browne (right?) was Rafiki, and they were definitely the sstandouts of the evening. Other than that, the cast was unremarkable, but not terrible.

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 11:35am

What the hell is "quan?"

[jv92]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 11:36am

Aladdin on B'way-
It is not a huge hit. It was, but now I think people have gotten its number. Lousy show with a spectacularly STAGED opening number. The song is lousy.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 11:44am

It's always been, like every Disney show, a matter of style over substance. Considering what Taymor had to work with, she pulled more rabbits out of hats than the material was worth, and she did so with an invention that hadnt been seen on Broadway in many years. Disney certainly owes her big time for this one.

But like everyhting else, it's going to get sloppy. Actors will cut corners, dancers will slide through numbers. As someone pointed out, the show's sold out for some time to come, so I imagine after a while, folks think, "Hey, what am I working my butt off for up here? I can coast a bit."

And the fact that it's still capacity, even in this condition, says more, IMHO, about your average theatre goer than anything else. People paying a hundred-plus bucks for a less than magnificent evening of theatre... well, I guess they get what they pay for, in some respects.

[D2]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 11:51am

I saw the first act in 1999. 'nuff said.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 11:56am

The Lion King seems to be ultimate "love it or hate it" show. I saw it in 2000, and hated it. Yes, Circle of Life was good, but after that, it was a giant, overblown bore.

[sparrman]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:04pm

Saw it on tour last year, and I'd say the lack of "substance" was definitely winning out over the "style". And a thoroughly unimpressive performance by the grown-up Simba didn't help things.

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:13pm

I remember clearly being able to see the faces of the "actors" playing the three hyenas. They were blank faces, completely emotionless, with their eyes scanning the audience blindly in the middle of their songs and dialogue...we even made eye contact several times. It was like a silent cry for help on both ends.

[sidjones09]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:28pm

"I remember clearly being able to see the faces of the "actors" playing the three hyenas. They were blank faces, completely emotionless, with their eyes scanning the audience blindly in the middle of their songs and dialogue...we even made eye contact several times. It was like a silent cry for help on both ends."

You're cracking me up. But this is very true. I actually think that many actors part of The Lion King machine are silently or not so silently showing us they want out, but they don't want to give up that Disney check. Who would?

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:32pm

:) My thoughts exactly. But those aren't the thoughts that should stick with me after $95 and a night at the hottest ticket in town.

[singingbackup]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:38pm

Never been a fan of this glorified puppet show, though I adore the film.

Took my niece years ago in the first year and after opening number, we were underwhelmed. Add to that we were in the balcony and missed the full 'majesty' of the opening number. Also, the kids were terrible, and the revolve for pride rock was so loud....

Not a good time and not the best value for the overpriced tix.

[Buscee]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 12:52pm

I have to agree with most of the posts. I first saw it in 1999 from the Front Row of the Front Mezz, and was totally blown away with it. The opening # made me weep. I went back with a friend who had never seen it before, we sat 5th row center in the orchestra, and we were bored to death. I think once you have seen the marvel of it, and it is marvelous. You sit back and watch the show, and realize thats its a bad book, bad script performed by bored actors.... I should have left it with only one viewing, and kept the idea that it was a work of art. My Bad.

[jmh323]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:00pm

I'm glad it's not just me. I saw the tour a couple of years ago and was pretty bored. I thought it was just where I was sitting (rear balcony), but I guess not. There was no energy in any of the scenes. At least the costumes were amazing. Except Scar's mask fell off at one point.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 2/22/07 at 1:07pm

Good topic! This is something I've been wanting to discuss for awhile but never really posted anything about it. I've thought the same thing for years. I saw the show for the second time in the spring of 02 and thought "Man this has gotten messy since I last saw it." I saw Lion King for the first time in the summer of 00 and loved it. It was different, it was funny and it was striking. Then when my theatre department took a trip to NYC and went to see Lion King(After convincing our chair to take us to Rocky Horror the year before and completely alienating/possible offending the entitre communications faculty and students) due to getting a "great" package deal.

Needless to say I still regret the fact I didn't skip out on King and see The Goat, but I had already paid for the trip and the price included King tickets....but I digress.

But sitting through the show I was totally underwhelmed. Partly due to the horrible balcony seats but mostly due to what seemed to be a generally apathetic cast. The dancing was sloppy and the entire thing seemed off.

For years I accredited this to them being a hit so long they didn't feel the need or were blind to the fact that they had gotten comfertable in their hit and realized that due to name recognition alone, they had a hit no matter what. At the time I really felt they should bring back Taymor and Garth to tighten the ship. But I don't know if thats the problem really. I think the problem lies with repeat viewings. It shows that the material is really really flimsy and the entire driving force of the show is Taymor's unique direction and vision and Fagan's exciting dance. But once you get past that and know what to expect, the show loses it's luster. Once the magic is expected a show needs to rely on a strong foundation to support it and keep bringing the people back. Well thank god Disney can rely on their name and the name LION KING, because that is their foundation and not good sorce material.