Not much else embodies the nostalgia of childhood quite like Disney movies, and of those movies we all remember The Lion King.
The film was released in 1994 to rave reviews and nearly made $1 billion at the box office. The world went crazy for The Lion King, and for the musical numbers written by Elton John and Tim Rice.
In 1997, the Broadway musical version of The Lion King premiered, and since then it has become “the world’s No. 1 musical,” spawning productions on every continent. The production is currently touring the U.S. and has found itself once again at Albuquerque’s Popejoy Theater.
Being the first time I have seen this production, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was quickly enthralled by the performance.
The opening number — “Nants Ingonyama” — sung by the character Rafiki portrayed by actor Buyi Zama immediately won the hearts of the audience, letting them know this was the Lion King they knew and loved.
The opening number was followed by the iconic ballad “The Circle of Life,” and the stage was filled by the ensemble singers and dancers in the abstract animal costumes that the musical is famous for. Animals from cheetahs to elephants made their way to the stage, either entering from the wings or through the audience.
Placing the ensemble and actors in the theater aisles was a recurring element in the production, which made use of Popejoy’s space by breaking the wall between the performers and the audience. The thing to remember about this production is that it’s not merely a performance, but an experience where those attending are able to feel like they’re a part of the story.
When it comes to the acting, some might criticize the performance as being “cartoon-y,” but the actors are portraying cartoon animals in an adaptation of an animated movie. While some scenes are over-acted, one has to realize that this is a performance for all ages.
If the actors didn’t perform hyperbolically in some scenes, it could’ve alienated the younger audience members. It was hyperbole with the intention of inclusion, and, honestly, without it, the production wouldn’t have been as much fun.
Mark Campbell, who played the villainous uncle Scar, embodies the character perfectly, capturing the lion’s Machiavellian personality and unstable nature. Jeremy Irons himself couldn’t have done a better job.
Buyi Zama’s portrayal of Rafiki differed from the character in the film, but I felt her portrayal gave a more genuine aspect to the character as the goofy shaman of the Pride Lands. She was able to make the audience suspend disbelief. Despite breaking the fourth wall at many points, Zama didn’t make the occurrences seem like the trite stylistic move that it usually is.
In terms of production value, The Lion King was top notch. The company made perfect use of Popejoy’s smaller stage, creating depth in what would have otherwise been a shallow set. The use of other mediums added a certain wonder to interludes, such as the use of Egyptian shadow puppets for Mufasa and Simba for their walk in the Pride Lands.
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The Lion King lived up to its reputation as one of the best stage productions in history. The actors captured the characters perfectly and had amazing chemistry. The use of the aisles, audience interaction, quality production, and talented actors added up to a powerful performance that will live in the hearts of audience members.
The Lion King is playing at Popejoy until Oct. 30.
Fin Martinez is the culture editor and theatre reviewer for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@unm.edu or on Twitter @FinMartinez.
