Is Aladdin Disneys worst show?

Aladdin I personally think is a great show (probably becuase I'm a Disney nerd)! But it was definitely one of my favs.

I think Aladdin is very middle of the road Disney, its a very by the numbers movie to stage adaptation and in that I think it does a fine job. Its nowhere near the level of Little Mermaid and Tarzan bad, it is just kind of serviceable.

I also have to say, I think Lion King is by far Disney's best stage adaptation. It took all the right risks and ultimately made a puely theatrical experience that I think is spectacular.

ACL2006 said: "I'm guessing no one saw TARZAN. YIKES!!



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So far Australia has only seen Beauty, Lion King and Aladdin

It sounds like Australia didn't get much of a production put together for its tour as the Broadway production was pretty much the opposite of what you describe. In fact, when I saw it, my first reaction was this show (in it its costume and set design and talent pool) SHOULD be extravagant. It's Disney, and they have an unlimited amount of money to throw at shows. Everything they do SHOULD be top of the line. So it was appealing on that level.

I do agree though that it was pretty much straight from film to theater. The only casting issue I had was I though the young lady who played Jasmine (from the original cast) was nothing special.

Surprised that Disney would put together such a mess for Australia.

rosscoe(au) said: "Saw the Australian production in Melbourne and wow what an awful disjointed mess. The same issues that made Lion King are mess are on stage here as well. A story that doesn't flow, cartoon characters that are so over the top and played for cheap laughs that you feel sorry for the actors.

A stage that is mostly bare , sets that look cheap, direction that is sloppy and seems to place actors to fill in blank spaces where sets should have been.

Its biggest crime is that it lacks magic. The cave of wonders was at times laughable and not in a good way.

I have little hope that frozen will be any better, at least Beauty was magical.



It might just be Australia that's making the show seem like that. In the two years I lived there I never saw a professional, big budget show that I actually liked. Every block buster musical in Australia came across as subpar and tired - even some shows that were early in the run. Something about Australian theatre always seems so slow and lacking in energy. The best shows and best performers were in smaller, more intimate productions and amateurs.

Aladdin is by no means a great and wonderful show but it's by no means Disney's worst stage production.

Tarzan truly was the worst. Aladdin was in the middle for me as far as Disney shows. I also had problems with Mary Poppins's book but the overall production was more enjoyable than Tarzan.

Let's be honest, Australian productions are cheap at the best of times.

Oh def not. It's mediocre as hell, but not THE worst one. That's Tarzan and it seems many here agree and for the same reason. Tarzan didn't/doesn't make any sense as a stage musical since that movie utilizes music in a completely different way than it predecessors, plus add to the fact it's a pop/rock writer. Phil is obviously a legend, and the movie and the music he wrote for it have become Disney classics in their own rite, but you can't mesh songs that are sung in third person omniscient (or third person of any kind) and first person in a stage musical...



As for Lion King on stage...I'm curious what makes you think it's problematic, especially when you say that Aladdin has the same issues. LK is a MASTERPIECE. One wouldn't think it would work on stage, and everyone thought so when it first premiered, but it's pretty damn cleverly done considering...animal characters. Now a song or two certainly aren't the best, I know most people detest Chow Down, but for some stupid reason...it's my JAM! Don't ask...

Aladdin is enjoyable as best, but but the criticisms it got were correct. It's merely a tourist trap. And yes I hope they run with Frozen like they should have to begin with, with the film. The current DCA and DCL productions are proving you can't just throw this one on stage and live to tell about it. It needs work. And we all know this will run for ages, so they might as well make it amazing while they're at it. I want it be cleverly done and be surprised.

Princeton2 said:

Liong King is stunning visually and at times musically, even with a few pacing issues as an adaption it is Disneys best in terms of theatricality. However for me.as a complete piece BATB wins out and also captures disney magic the best.




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Precisely.

However, not that the new live action and and the B is all that great, BUT I felt one thing was nailed. Now that we have those two connecting over their love of literature and them being intellectual equals...I now wonder about that plot point in the stage musical about him being nearly illiterate. I get the bonding over her helping him re-learning to read, but I feel like it's a MUCH more compelling to have two outsiders connect over feeling that no one appreciates their intellect. I only say this since I now have the two pieces to compare. I didn't mind that stage plot point but when I saw the new film...I was wondering why in the world they didn't do that in the first place. Totally off tangent, my apologies. Needed to throw that out there.

I actually hated the Lion King. I think that the new songs are terrible, with the exceptions of "He Lives in You" and "Shadowland," and you may as well just watch the movie for the rest of it. The staging was cool but that's about it.

Aladdin seems pretty bad, too, though.

Updated On: 5/14/17 at 04:00 PM

Yes, yes, The Little Mermaid was an absolute perfect storm. How on earth (or Under The Sea) did they ever effff this up? Poor Faith Prince was a trooper, and Sierra tried...but all those plexi glass sea scapes and the fricking scooters!! I wanted Ursula to win!

Casey Nickolaw saved Aladdin. I think Frozen can be amazing but we'll see...

Steve C. said: "Yes, yes, The Little Mermaid was an absolute perfect storm. How on earth (or Under The Sea) did they ever effff this up? Poor Faith Prince was a trooper, and Sierra tried...but all those plexi glass sea scapes and the fricking scooters!! I wanted Ursula to win!

Casey Nickolaw saved Aladdin. I think Frozen can be amazing but we'll see...



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I'm assuming you mean Sheri? Faith replaced her but Sheri is the originator.