The Lion King Vegas Review

The opening starts with the gathering of the animals at Pride Rock in Africa where Simba, the new born lion of Mufasa and Sarabi, is presented.  The animals come down the two side aisles all animated by their actor in a spectacular presentation of creative inspiration of costuming and animation of the puppet. Elephants, Cheetah, Giraffes, Antelope, Zebras,Lioness, all fill the theater with movement and pageantry as they approach Pride Rock (stage).

The stage performance of The Lion King has amazing costumes where the actors bring to life the movement and being of animals in a story about life. The birth and death cycle of life is touched on in a delicate cycle where we are brought into the story with the struggle, conflict, love, wisdom woman, dancing and singing their way into our hearts and minds. The theater is filled with actor character animals several times. Being in the second row means you miss that overall omniscience but you have the nicety of being able to view the facial expression, makeup, and costumes up close and personal. The animal masks are used with the motion of the neck to appear to be the face of the character with the human face secondary. The Cheetah is skillfully animated by one actor walking specifically to give the movement to the animal. The hand movement of the front paws drew my interest into the mechanics of the movement watching the kinesiology of each piece as it became an integral part of the story.

I was fascinated by watching how each actor character participated with their animal to bring it to life while appearing real. Watching the zebras moving across the stage and how the actors had to move their feet to make the movement very real was mesmerizing for me. The hyenas were marvelous in their detail and in their human handlers. The children in the theater laughed at the faces and actions. I had wondered how children would enjoy the play but was surprised to hear their laughter many times. They were enjoying and getting the play.

The land of the dead elephants was detailed and very large with each part being used to tell the story of the darkness of the area. The constant changing of scenery to bring the story to life was done subtly and thoroughly.  The long panels of multicolor green with a tapered tip floating freely from the ceiling on the stage easily gave me the sense of forest and green. The flickering lights and stars gradually becoming and revealing the spirit of Mufasa just kept my eyes glued to the movements to see if I could figure out how it was done.

Movement of distances is handled with grass moving across the stage or when the herd stampades, perspective is used with the animals becoming larger as they came forward. The effect is nicely done.

The story was not new to me. I have seen the movie and been to Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Disney World also does the story in the Living Land pavilion in a movie about environment.  The story is a reminder how life is a cycle where we all affect what are the results of our actions. If you have seen the story before, your less interested in the story, instead being drawn more into the costume design, makeup, and handling of the animals puppet movement and motion.  Bringing to life both the actor and the puppet is fascinating.

I liked the play.

The actors really were very studied and talented in bringing their animal alive while interacting at the same times as a human. Learning to move with the animal and show movement while reading or singing lines and telling the story in song, dances, and movement must take incredible long hours.

I would recommend a seat further back so you can enjoy the full import of the bottom part of theater aisles being filled with actor animals as they sing and move toward the stage while telling their story. The actors as grass or trees, or other objects brought those objects to life. The puppetry used big and small to give movement and vastness. People were plants with arms askew to be branches or entire bodies as plants.

Photo Courtesy of MGM Mirage

The Lion King

Mandalay Bay Las Vegas
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89119

As a writer and  participant of Blogworld during the middle of October, we were offered the Media opportunity to attend the play and write. This review is a result of my attending Sunday afternoon production October 17, 2010. This performance was not a sold out show and appeared half full. I have enjoyed plays since I was a child when my mother took us to Radio City Music Hall, plays and many other cultural events. Having experienced The Lion King in many forms, enhanced my ability to enjoy this spectacular production. The story is embedded in my brain.

Resources

• http://disney.go.com/theatre/thelionking/lasvegas

_____________________________________________________________

Eileen Lud­wig, travel writer of Free­lance Tourist brings to the world insights about places to travel, dis­counts, Stay­ca­tions, Restau­rant Reviews, movie reviews, and fas­ci­nat­ing tibits. She is owner of three other sites: Pho­tog­ra­phy, Web Design School, and Social Media School Each are in dif­fer­ent stages of devel­op­ment and evolution.

• Twit­ter
• Web­site
• Face­book