Just caught the tour the other night. Thought I would share my thoughts here instead of creating a new thread. I know most of us on here don't really give this show a second thought anymore, but here are my thoughts nonetheless...
This tour is rough. There is no other way of putting it. VERY rough. From the cast to the set, the current tour Disney is trekking across the US is jaded and tired beyond belief. There is no life whatsoever in this circle. The cast looked bored out of their minds and like they would have rather been doing anything besides performing on that stage. I was bored out of my mind too, so I am glad we could connect on some level.
The cuts they have implemented were done in all the wrong places... taking away Zazu's ONLY song? Cutting the beautiful interlude and acrobatics during Can You Feel the Love Tonight? WHY? No question that this show was insanely long to begin with, but make cuts elsewhere where they can actually be justified.
One of my main beefs with this show has always been people talking about how big and intricate the physical production is. The costumes are intricate, beautiful, and elaborate. No question. But other than that, Lion King is BARE BONES. A sparse stage with major set pieces you can count on one hand. Besides Pride Rock and the Elephant Graveyard, there are not other big set pieces. The stage is just an empty hole graced by a few backdrops here and there. Oh, and Hakuna Matata... cutting the bugs that track across the stage when there is already so little going on onstage? Again, a change that just makes no sense to me. I will also re-voice my other MAJOR problem with this show... the first five minutes are so beautiful, chilling, and moving (arguably one of the most beautiful openings ever), but nothing else reaches that level of brilliance the rest of the night. It's like having the encore as the prologue.
There were lots of technical glitches the night I went. The pointless waterfall scene in Act 2 (which looks cheap and tacky anyways IMO) was hindered by the drop not falling on cue. For the Finale/Circle Of Life Reprise, Pride Rock did not track on. The performers flawlessly made it work (kudos to them), and it was clear they have an established set of cues to go to when this happens. Rafiki, Simba, and Nala all stood at the front and center of the stage and raised up the cub. Killed it. I get things happen, but for a show that has been on the road for years, has played each major venue across the country at least twice, and is charging exorbitant ticket prices, I think they should not be having these little kinks so often.
This was my fifth time seeing the show (family and friends love it and I will go along to just about anything), and each time I have seen it I have liked it less and less. There has really only been one time out the five where there were not at least three technical problems. The only reason I went back was because I was comped. I'm glad I saw it, (the opening number and Shadowland make it almost worth spending three hours on), but that was definitely my last time sitting through this show.
"There’s nothing quite like the power and the passion of Broadway music. "
Updated On: 11/1/13 at 03:53 AM
