Ventura County Star
October 27, 2000

The Mane Event : 'The Lion King'

By RITA MORAN, Arts writer

It's sheer magic. Director Julie Taymor's brilliant re-thinking of Disney's animated film, "The Lion King," lifts a simple fable into a visual extravaganza of human-powered animals, sun-drenched nature and glowing African spirit. Hollywood's setting for the production, the Pantages Theatre, adds its own exoticism with its recently refurbished grandeur.

Taymor's longtime fascination with puppetry is the key element in the show, which interned in Minneapolis and graduated to Broadway, where it continues, bolstered by the six Tony Awards it gathered in 1998.

Combining ancient and contemporary puppet techniques, Taymor created a whole savanna of animals: leaping gazelles, creeping hyenas, prancing zebras, awkward giraffes. In each case, whether rod puppets, masked humans or a combination of techniques is in play, the figures spring to life in an amazing transformation that enchants the audience. The physicality and dexterity required from the cast is so extraordinary that it comes as no surprise to learn that physical therapists are part of the retinue.

In a musical expansion from the film, with its popular songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, a handful of African singers, instrumentalists and composers were recruited to enhance the score with authentic themes and rhythms for the stage production. The effect is reinforced at the Pantages by singers mysteriously appearing in high alcoves and single percussionists sounding the beats in niches off each side of the stage.

Every visual element of "The Lion King" springs from Taymor's original inspiration. She was joined by Michael Curry in design of the masks and puppets, and is credited with the vivid costume designs. A combination of scenic design by Richard Hudson and lighting by Donald Holder reflects the same level of innovation, presenting the action in dazzling primary colors with bold accents. Their combined efforts result in such delights as the breeze-blown grasses appearing first on dancer/singer's heads, then later in a smooth-flowing row that travels across the stagefront.

Choreography by Garth Fagan perfectly complements the mobile puppetry, enabling agile dancers to move in conjunction with their manmade counterparts.

The story of "The Lion King" is slim. It tells of a young lion, Simba, who is destined to become king after his noble father, Mufasa. A wicked uncle, Scar, intervenes and does away with Mufasa while laying a guilt trip on Simba for causing his father to be involved in a rescue mission when the young lion strayed. Simba runs away and makes friends in the jungle with a meerkat and a warthog. When his cub-era friend, Nala, is approached by Scar as a likely mate, she too runs away. Finding Simba, she tells him how Scar has ruined their land and asks him to return. He does, and saves his lion kingdom.

The cast is solid, bolstered by some exceptional performances. As Rafiki, the simian shaman who meddles successfully in Simba's life, Fuschia donimates the stage in her serio-comic appearances, beginning with the thematic "Circle of Life," which introduces the animals as they parade through the audience onto the stage. Rufus Bonds Jr. is a noble Mufasa with a rich and expressive voice, whether singing or speaking.

Both the young Simba and young Nala are doublecast. Adrian Diamond is a likeable and convincing Simba and Lisa Tucker impresses as Nala, with an attractive voice and poise. It's no surprise that Nala grows up into Moe Daniels, also vocally and dramatically assured. Clifton Oliver as the grown-up Simba gets some of the more soupy songs, but has the pop style to carry them off. John Vickery, a classical actor, gives Scar an appropriately campy turn.

Most fun of all are the characters who get to play the comic animals: Danny Rutigliano as the meerkat, Timon; Bob Bouchard as the warthog Pumbaa; and Willliam Akey as the bird Zazu.

Rutigliano, who was a member of the original "King" cast, is so ideally attuned to the action of his "life-size" puppet that imagination easily dissolves the fact that a man is behind the funny figure. That's the goal, of course, and Rutigliano hits it.

Bouchard, enveloped in Pumbaa's cumbersome puppet/costume, still manages to project the warthog's bumbling personality. Akey, another behind-the-puppet actor, gives Zazu an amusing dose of flighty bird character.

A panorama of beauty, with a little poignancy and plenty of laughs, "The Lion King" is bound to delight children -- at least those who can stay awake through its two hours and 40 minutes. It's not promoted as a children's show, but young and old alike may find its stagecraft enthralling. E

A cautionary note: While the powers that be are busy renovating Hollywood Boulevard, in the meantime the Pantages sits like a castle among ruins. There is plenty of parking on nearby lots, though the prices have been upped from $4-$5 for previous shows to $8-9. There is no decent place open for dinner or even a snack within blocks of the theater, but the Pantages is happy to sell you $3.50 cookies and candy in their luxurious lobby.

Getting There
"THE LION KING"
Julie Taymor-directed stage version of Disney's animated film, set to run at least through Oct. 1, 2001, at the Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Music by Elton John, Tim Rice, Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina and Lebo M.
8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays; and 2 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. $12-$77. (213) 365-5555.

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