Lion King: Roaring Disney success

By FRANCES GRANT

The earth shakes with the pounding of hooves. A great herd of wildebeest is stampeding through a narrow gorge, a river of panic.

Simba the lion cub has become caught up in the lethal torrent, clinging to the branch of a tree above the raging stream of fleeing animals, mewling for help.

This is the turning point in Disney's animated hit The Lion King, when the mighty king of the lion pride, Mufasa, is killed trying to save Simba, his son and heir to the throne. How, I wonder before the curtain goes up on the musical of the movie in Sydney's Capitol Theatre, can such a scene be translated on to the stage?

How for that matter can the African savannah, with all its birds and beasts, be represented? Or that other action scene when the meerkat Timon is swept over a waterfall?

The answers are astounding. From the show's spine-tingling opening, as the baboon Rafiki summons a parade of animals to Pride Rock under a blazing orange silk sun, to its triumphant close, The Lion King is a riot of colour and enchantment.

The show begins at sunrise, as two towering giraffes enter stage left. A herd of delicate gazelle leaps to answer the baboon's call, zebra canter in, a flock of birds hovers over the scene and a rhino and an elephant come down the aisles.

After the bombast of the opening number, there is a sudden, brilliant contrast as a tiny mouse - a shadow puppet - runs across the backdrop.

American director Julie Taymor, who adapted the film for the stage, has created a show which uses a startling array of costumes, masks, puppets and the deceptively simple art of southeast Asian shadow puppetry. The Lion King in Sydney is the ninth international production of the show, which debuted on Broadway in 1997 and won six Tonys, including best musical.

The larger animals are artful constructions which incorporate the actor's body into their structure: the actors or dancers become the hind or forequarters of the beast, or manipulate puppets, adding an extra dimension with their facial expressions and movements.

The lion pride wears masks of a severe, sculptural beauty which, rather than conceal the actors' faces, are worn as headdresses. The effect is a powerful combination of human and animal.

The magic of the show is in its mix of sophistication and simplicity, which appeals to children and adults alike.

Taymor has drawn on her experience in traditional Asian and avant garde European theatre to create a show which has been hailed for its innovation.

The stampede scene, for example, is brought to life using cascading silk, scrolls, mechanical antlers and actors in masks to create a powerful optical illusion which works by playing with gradations of scale.

Timon falls into a river of silk, complete with shadow-puppet fish, in an utterly convincing illusion of running water. When Mufasa dies, the lionesses cry ribbons of white silk - typical of the show's poetic imagery.

The show received enthusiastic reviews for its opening night on October 16: "This is a theatrical triumph of pastiche, reverence and ingenuity, combining the core of the Disney film of the same name with a vivacious, brilliant inventiveness. The first 30 minutes is breathtaking - possibly the most visually captivating theatre you will ever see," wrote the Daily Telegraph's Michael Bodey.

The Sydney Morning Herald's John Shand said: "Taymor has an eye for images that will ignite the audience's imagination, and in making transparent the actors and mechanics within the jungle animals, she has liberated the stage from the shackles of soulless special effects, restoring our ability to join in our own enchantment."

A personal highlight was the lionesses' hunt and kill, with its vibrant energy, and their haunting lament for the dead Mufasa.

The score features Elton John and Tim Rice's songs from the movie, along with three new songs by the pair. The music's African character has become more central in the stage version with additional material by South African composer Lebo M.

New Zealanders are well represented in the cast of 54, with Jay Laga'aia as alpha male Mufasa, newcomer Vince Harder as the adult Simba and Tyson Eketone as one of the young actors rotating in the role of Simba the cub. Another couple of Kiwis steal the show - Jamie McGregor as the wisecracking Timon and Cherine Peck is Shenzi, one of the three cackling hyena villains who are a constant source of fun.

Tickets for the show are selling up until May next year and Disney is talking of a two-year run. The ever-jocular Laga'aia puts his own spin on the strength of the show's attraction: "I think it's a coup for the Rugby World Cup that it's on at the same time as The Lion King and can draw on the visitors coming to Sydney for the show."



GETTING THERE

Flight Centre is offering Lion King packages that include return economy class airfares on Qantas, two nights at The Barclay Hotel Sydney and one A reserve ticket a person to The Lion King show.

Cost is $659 a person share twin/double. Taxes of around $135 a person are additional. Travel December 12 to March 31 next year (close out over the Christmas and New Year period).

LION KING TICKETS

There are three price tiers: A$99.50, A$88, A$40.50. Wednesday matinee: A$85.50, A$75.50, A$40.50. To book tickets call 0800 767 400

WHERE

The Capitol Theatre is in Haymarket, a few minutes' walk through the urban jungle from Central Station. Capitol Square lies on the new light rail line. It is next door to Chinatown, with its many eating places, including the famous BBQ King, a favourite post-work hangout of Sydney chefs. Darling Harbour is also close. .

OTHER ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS

Taking the family to Sydney to see the show and want to continue the animal theme? Taronga Zoo, with its spectacular harbourside site, has two new exhibits: the Wollemi enclosure, a lush oasis where you can get up close to birds, platypus and check whether the echidna has recovered from being fondled by Prince Harry. Backyard to Bush, a 2ha exhibit which moves from city to farmyard to the wilds, offers opportunities to stroke a snake, monitor a snoring wombat and ogle a giant cockroach.

The Serpentarium is a must for Harry Potter fans wanting to test their Parseltongue skills, and there are spectacular bird and seal shows. A huge new enclosure, the Asian Elephant Rainforest, is due to open next year.

Sydney Aquarium in Darling Harbour has just opened a Seal Sanctuary, with a couple of Kiwis - New Zealand fur seals - among its residents. The 2-million litre tank features a variety of marine life, including seaweeds, kelps, sea snails and starfish to make the seals feel at home. It will become a refuge for retired or injured seals.

Another new attraction in the city for the monkey in the family who wants to go one better than the Harbour Bridge climb is a Skywalk around the roof of Sydney Tower. The 75-minute adventure along skyways and viewing platforms (safety harnesses compulsory) is due to open early next year.


City of Sydney

Disney

* Frances Grant travelled to Sydney courtesy of Qantas Airways and the show's official hotel, the Wentworth Sydney (Sofitel).