Announcing a new season of any musical must be nerve-wracking for producers nowadays, but The Lion King is pretty much immune from the recent turmoil in theatreland.
In an age where one tends to get a bit sick of musicals being endlessly recycled, this is a show that could probably run as a kind of never-ending story. Nobody could possibly get sick and tired of The Lion King, could they?
I greeted news of the return of The Book of Mormon with much less enthusiasm. It’s vile and is certainly not family friendly. Beetlejuice is a much better musical than The Book of Mormon and deserved to go on, but it was cancelled and its Brisbane season truncated due to lack of ticket sales.
Then came the news that the musical The Waitress was also victim to what is the theatrical equivalent of a stock market correction.
Has anybody considered the fact that maybe there are just too many musicals? It sounds like heresy, I know, but maybe it’s time for a reality check.
But the announcement that Disney’s The Lion King is coming to Brisbane, bringing with it the spectacle, artistry and unforgettable music that has redefined musical theatre on a global scale, is great news.
More than 10 years since the six-time Tony Award winning production was last on stage at QPAC, from November 15 a new generation of theatregoers will join long-time fans in experiencing this epic theatrical masterpiece. I will be in Hong Kong on that day, for my sins, but will certainly see the show as soon as I get back.
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I’ve seen The Lion King a number of times. We flew to Sydney to see it when it was first on at the Capitol Theatre in in 2004. I think it ran from 2003 to 2005 at the Capitol, where it is now playing before coming to Brisbane.
Our son was four at the time and I remember how exciting it was as the chant from Circle of Life echoed through the theatre while performers operating larger-than-life animal puppets and wearing vibrant costumes walked down the aisles passing us on their way to the stage. The kids loved that but, hey, so did we. The stage version is, of course, based on the film, which came out in 1994.
I was living in Melbourne at the time and doing some writing for The South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, my former hometown. I was lucky enough to interview Peter Schneider, president of Walt Disney Animation, for my story.
Disney’s animation studio was having a renaissance at the time and Schneider pointed out that part of the success of their ventures was that their films were for everyone.
“We’ve found acceptance now for the fact that you can have a good emotional, funny experience in a movie theatre and it just happens to be animated,” he told me. “It’s not just for kids … it’s for everyone.”
Too true. And one of the things I love about The Lion King is its connection to literature. If you want to dig deeper.
They say the core narrative is primarily based on William Shakespeare’s Hamlet: a young prince is exiled after his uncle murders the king, and he must eventually return to avenge his father and claim the throne.
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While Hamlet is the main inspiration, the film’s creators also drew heavily from other historical and literary sources to flesh out the story. There are Biblical parallels – elements of the stories of Moses and Joseph are woven into Simba’s journey of exile and redemption.
Shakespeare’s Henry IV is also referenced with Simba’s initial reluctance to embrace his royal duties. His time spent goofing off with outcasts (Timon and Pumbaa) closely mirror Prince Hal’s storyline in the Henry IV.
Some cultural and narrative parallels are also drawn from the West African epic of Sundiata Keita, which tells the story of a banished prince who returns to defeat a usurper and claim his rightful empire.
The 2014 season of The Lion King at QPAC was a huge hit and I was there, too. It sold more tickets in a single day than any show before it, and went on to completely sell out its 19-week season.
This new production marks the second run in Brisbane and the third time the show has been staged in Australia. Internationally, it has been seen by more than 124 million people worldwide, a testament to the lasting power of the show’s storytelling.
It is the second-highest selling show in QPAC history, behind only The Phantom of the Opera (1996), and is currently playing to sold-out houses in Sydney. So, obviously if a show is good and has wide enough appeal it will survive and thrive.
As The Lion King heads to Brisbane, Disney Theatrical Group says it will continue offering accessible performances, allowing everyone the opportunity to experience the magic of live theatre. Accessible performances are tailored to support attendance for a diverse range of audience preferences and create a space where all audience members are encouraged to be themselves. Further details about accessible performances in Brisbane will be announced at a later date.
The show brings together exceptional talent from Australia, New Zealand and around the world.
Buyi Zama leads the cast as Rafiki. She plays this iconic role for a third time here, having also held the role in the 2003 and 2013 tours. Zama is joined on stage by Nick Afoa as Mufasa, another alumni member of The Lion King global family, after making his theatre debut 12 years ago as Simba.
Completing the principal cast is Daniel Frederiksen as Scar, Benn Welford as Zazu, Aphiwe Nyezi as Simba, Emily Nkomo as Nala, Jamie McGregor as Timon, Rutene Spooner as Pumbaa, Ezra Williams as Shenzi, Winston Hillyer as Banzai and Mat Verevis as Ed.
A group of talented and diverse performers make up the ensemble.
The Lion King plays QPAC’s Lyric Theatre from November 15, with Brisbane tickets on sale from July 23 via thelionkingmusical.com.au
CommBank Yello customers enjoy early access to presale tickets, July 16-22, via commbank.com.au/commbank-yello/latest/disney-presale.html
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