Nick Afoa as Simba in The Lion King. Picture: Bob Barker. Source: News Limited
THERE is no better opening in musical theatre: a large claim, but nevertheless true.
A majestic, full-throated chant rings out to signal the entry of the animals. From the wings and through the auditorium come lofty giraffes, a prowling cheetah, leaping antelopes, whirling birds and an elephant with its baby. The song is taken up in stirring call-and-response form and the eyes and ears are saturated with the colours of mother Africa. In Sydney's Capitol the scene is made even lovelier by the backdrop of statuary and ornate architectural detail in the auditorium as images of nature are set against those of high culture.
Since its opening in 1997 The Lion King has been justly loved for its spectacular and inventive uses of puppetry, dance and African-inflected music. It is cemented as one Broadway's most popular shows and exists in 10 productions around the world. Well, it is truer to say it exists in nine reproductions of the original. This is the way of hit Broadway shows. They are restaged around the world to a well-tested formula and The Lion King has more reason to stay exactly the same than most others.
Its story is a simple fable of growth to maturity through adversity and of acceptance of life's inexorable pattern of bloom, decay and rebirth, expressed with wondrous theatricality. In the mix are pop songs from Elton John and Tim Rice (the latter in Thursday's opening night audience), lively if occasionally naff choreography from Garth Fagan and welcome humour from a trio of hyenas and a warthog-meerkat double act who leaven the solemnity.
All this is a well-known quantity. The variables are in the performance, and as seen on Thursday they are variable. Not less than adequate, of course, this being a Disney production, but not all the cast members are forceful enough to compete with the show's visual splendour or banish its longueurs. There is however a fine musical theatre debut as the adult Simba from New Zealander Nick Afoa, who moves with the exuberant grace of youth and is a promising singer. Russell Dykstra (warthog Pumbaa) and Jamie McGregor (meerkat Timon) deliver the knockabout comedy goods and Buyi Zama (Rafiki) is in glowing voice as Rafiki.
Some dialogue scenes need a rocket under them and in Act I children are required to carry more of the show than is reasonable to expect. But this was evident first time around and clearly the producers don't intend to meddle too much with success. Overwhelmingly, the conception and design are king. Director Julie Taymor, who also designed the costumes and co-designed masks and puppets, may have had a recent blow with the tumult of her latest musical Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, but she will always have The Lion King.
The Lion King
Capitol Theatre, Sydney, December 12
Tickets: $50-$150. Bookings: 1300 558 878. Duration: Two and a half hours, including interval. Until June 8.
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