Liam Dodds- Critical Studies

In 1994, the Disney Corporation released The Lion King, which was to take on the big screen and become their biggest and most successful movie animation to date. The film was also Disney’s first feature that had an original story line rather than being based on existing works. This being said it has been known to relate to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The film was quickly adapted into a musical in 1997 with music by Tim Rice and Elton John. The production originally premiered in Minneapolis and moved to Broadway in the same year where it is still running today, along with over 20 productions past and present around the world. The Lion King “Landmark musical event” has an incredible way of connecting with audiences of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds. A huge use of puppetry and Kabuki-style theatre are the two driving forces for this production and compliments the adaption to stage perfectly. The consistency that continues to draw audiences in on a nightly basses is within the characters and the readability to the storyline, which is also shown through song and a witty script. The Australian production also features performers from all walks of life, which although may have nothing to do with the actual content of the show, adds to the connection of a sense of home and belonging. In today’s theatre you can see many of these styles in a range of productions to be discussed throughout this piece.

Creative director, costume and puppet designer Julie Taymor has a major part to play in the incredible response from so many audience members who have witnessed the Lion King live on stage. Although it is a musical and has the structures of a musical theatre production, Taymor has taken it to a whole other level, incorporating styles from African and Balinese art forms. Something that stood out for me personally the second time seeing this production was the attention to detail within the costume and how the looked as though they were meant exactly for whoever was wearing it. In 2011, Taymor presented at the Nantucket Project for arts and commerce where she spoke about her inspirations for the Lion King. When creating corsets for the show she wanted to use real beads rather than plastic, and when asked she said “It’s not just about what the audience see’s… its about what the performer feels wearing it”.1 This then links directly back to the audience and how it perceives what has been put in front of them. Although majority of musical theatre productions are taken from other stories in history, Taymor says “It’s within the telling of it that you see it with new eyes”.2 Another element of the particular style that compliments the costumes in this production is the ease of dance and movement. The way in which they have been designed allow performers to move throughout the stage as these wild beasts that they are portraying whilst being fully entrenched in a storyline that has to appeal to a huge range of ages. Personally, this was perfectly executed in the Lion King live, hence winning a Tony Award for best production in 1998. Along with costume, Puppetry and Kabuki elements assist the show’s adaption to stage and the direct connection with its audience. This also means they fall into an entire different category in my opinion.

When developing The Lion King into a stage production, it was important that they did not loose the vision of what audiences were used to with the film. To

1 YouTube- ‘Julie Taymor: In Order to innovate you must play with fire’ March 282 YouTube- ‘Julie Taymor:’ March 28, 2014

Liam Dodds- Critical Studies

achieve this, Julie Taymor designed the most incredible masks that allow audience to see an even balance of human and animal. This is because Taymor says that it is essential to “have the actors humanity involved… They are animals with human characteristics”3. Each mask was created with a mechanical lever allowing performers to involve the mask when needed to enhance the dramatic moments within the performance. When these masks were engaged, the audience were taken to a different universe; one that Disney wanted us to believe that we were fully surrounded by the African wild. A primary example of this is in the confrontation between scar and mufasa. In this scene both performers bow at each other in a ‘face off’ action, which pushes the masks forward and the two fight it out as the beasts they are. The connection to its audience at this point is unforgettable and certainly sticks in my mind as an essential element to the entire coming together of the musical. Disney’s use of Kabuki theatre elements are another stylistic choice which assisted in its audience connection, and once again relates to linking to the familiarisation of the film but at the same time to “celebrate what makes theatre unique, and to keep the audience’s imaginations engaged”4. Kabuki is a style of Japanese art that uses eye-catching makeup along with exaggerated movement to portray a story. In the sense of Lion King, it has been used to portray characters such as Rafiki, who happens to be a mandrill monkey. Over a period of time the visual of this part has been known more for its stage look rather than the animated animal itself. This is due to the bright colours used in her makeup to highlight its characteristics; people simply remember the character just by looking at her face. Another element of Kabuki theatre that is loosely used throughout this show is the natural story arc. In the beginning young Simba can hardly wait to become king, not realising that it will not happen until his father is no longer around. After being found in the jungle as a grown lion and becoming the King of Pride Rock, all he wants is his father back as it is too much for him. Eventually he is able to defeat Scar Standing in his way, and regains the thrown at the expense of never seeing his father again. This arc is something that is seen in many musical theatre productions such as Wicked and Walking With Dinosaurs, The Arena Spectacular. Within the style of musical theatre, audiences are arguably going to relate the most to the music, which is generally the driving force in interpreting a story.

British theatrical lyricist Sir Tim Rice had only just come down from the great success that was Disney’s Aladdin before being approached to create music for The Lion King. Along with Sir Elton John, the two created a truly unique score for the original feature film including Can You Feel The Love Tonight and Circle Of Life. When the two were commissioned to adapt for the stage, Rices’ initial thought was that it was “impossible”5. The show includes 15 more songs from the movie and they are now the primary story-telling tools in the production. Their lyrics are so well justified to the script as they were written for each song before any melodies to assure that they were able to convey all inner messages within the original story. The reason in which I personally am so connected to the Lion King score is its ability to confront you with heavy African drums and

3 YouTube- Julie Taymor Talks about the costume design for The Lion King 4 The Lion King ‘The Landmark Musical Event’ program/picture book 5 The Lion King ‘The Landmark Musical Event’ program/picture book

Liam Dodds- Critical Studies

acoustics in a theatre of over 2,000 people. This was something that I was able to take note of both times that I have seen the production, and has effected me like no other show. This also relates back to Taymor’s vision to transport audiences to another world, and does so with great success.

Music theatre is style of live performance is aimed at portraying a story through dialogue, song and movement. It does so by combining all elements together and using elements of other theatrical styles to enhance the piece. Disney’s Lion King was adapted for the stage just 3 years after the animated film was released in 1994, and has since been seen by over 75 million people. The reason in which this production is so relatable to such a wide range of audiences is because of its illusion of a temporary reality. Through the use of puppetry, innovative music and a cast with an amazing ability to connect the story with its audience through the few simple elements of what makes up a musical theatre production. Whether it is walking down the aisles of the Regent theatre and singing to young, mesmerised children or simply taking each character to a level in which everyone feels a sense of realness, the Lion King Musical is easily the most connection I have ever had with a live production.

BIBLIOGRAPHY- "Julie Taymor Talks About The Costume Design For The Lion King

Broadway Musical." YouTube. January 4, 2011. Accessed April 16, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq_haDWFcBM

- "Julie Taymor: In Order to Innovate You Must Play with Fire." YouTube. March 28, 2014. Accessed April 18, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aFoWU_JYHo.

- "Kabuki." Kabuki. Accessed April 21, 2015. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2090.html.

- The Lion King "The Landmark Musical Event" Program. 2014.- "The Lion King - a Musical by Elton John, Tim Rice, Roger Allers and Irene

Mecchi." The Lion King - a Musical by Elton John, Tim Rice, Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi. Accessed April 20, 2015. http://www.imagi-nation.com/moonstruck/albm50.html.

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