Hakuna Matata

Any idea on what this blog entry is about? Go ahead. I'll give you three guesses. ;-)

When my friends and I found out the The Lion King was going to show in Sands Singapore, we immediately agreed to book our flights and make our way there. We're big theater geeks, my friends and I. Sure, there's something unnatural about people randomly breaking out into a song and dance routine (what more when animals do it, right?)... but haven't you ever had one of those moments when it just felt like the perfect thing to do?

No?

Hmmm.. must be just me then.

Anyway, as the date we agreed upon neared, it dawned on me how painful on the pocket watching this musical could be. Airfare, show ticket, accommodations, pocket money. Whew! All for a 2-hour performance.

But a generous sponsor (thank you!) took me under her wing and one Friday night, I was on my way to Singapore, the land of the lah. 



at the theater

Lion King is one of those stage shows that is unlikely to ever make it to the Philippines. The sheer scale of the production requires significant investment and I'm not sure any local theater group would be willing to take the risk. It's a shame, really, since it is this very grandeur that it makes it worth watching.

The opening sequence, which is exactly that of the one in the movie, is particularly moving. When the first notes of that unforgettable chant pierce the silence and the stage awakens into a glorious sunrise you know you're in for something magical. Then slowly you see a cheetah, a group of gazelles, giraffes and even the mightly elephant starting to make their way to Pride Rock, some walking down the audience aisle, close enough for you to touch. By the time the entire ensemble has arrived on stage, your jaw has dropped in amazement and you get the first of what will be many goosebumps-moments in the show. 




the King and I

It was unfortunate that they don't allow photography inside the theater, because more than anything else, the show was a visual feast. "Spectacle" is probably the closest word to describe what you see.

It's awe-inspiring seeing how they transformed human actors into animals, without literally making them walk on all 4's. Just enough hints in the costume, clever puppets and masks are all you're given and your imagination fills in the rest. The techniques they used to bring the African savana to life was also ingenious in its simplicity: men with headdresses of grass representing the pastures and the cloth of blue slowly being pulled under the stage representing the drying of the lake.

Then there was wildebeest stampede. Unlike the movie, which had the benefit of showing the vast expanse of the landscape and the massive volume of stampeding animals, the stage had to make do with a much more limited room. How do you effectively convey the danger Simba faces of being trampled to death? Or the danger Mufasa faces as he hangs by the ravine? Thanks to the power of perspective, and some clever machinery, you experience goosebump moment number 2.

If any one deserved a standing ovation at curtain call, it would have to be the set and costume designers. Too bad they never go up to take their bow.

I mean, let's face it. If you've seen the Disney version, then there's really nothing in the musical that you don't already know. There were a number of new songs added, but it was the good old classics from the movie that still stood out. (sidebar: Jeremy Iron's version of Be Prepared has got to be one of the best rendered villain songs ever! And if you really listen to it, Iron's isn't even singing! He's just reciting the lyrics hahahaha...). Of the new ones, I liked Mufasa's They Live in You but really enjoyed the African chants/choruses the best. They gave the show a distinct flavor and added to its character.

In the end, the trip was worth it. When you love musicals, The Lion King is a must see. Not for the songs or the actors, but for the design and the art direction. If they ever do stage it in the Philippines, I'm definitely going to watch it again.



we, the theater people

 After the show we made our way across the hall to Mozza for an early dinner. Good show, good food, good company. That's the perfect combination. 

my lame attempt at artsy photography 

my lame attempt at food photography

more food photography

this was very yummy, btw ha ha

with 1/2 of the J couple

thanks for the accomod! ha ha

that's us!

(Sorry the pics are a little fuzzy. Not a professional photographer. ha ha)