Arts & Culture

What: The Lion King
Where: Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. W.
When: Now, until Sun., April 27
Highlight: Magical ensemble that energetically embodies the Pride Lands of Africa
Rating: NNNN (out of 5)
Why you should go: Spectacular design that is truly massive in scale

THE KING IS BACK.  The Lion King, kicking off its second “sit-down” run in Toronto, roars to life at Mirvish. This new Canadian production with a Torontonian cast,  still feels fresh and exciting and worthy of this musical’s long-lasting critical and audience acclaim.

The larger-than-life mask and puppetry (by Julie Taymor and Michael Curry) of the animals in the Pride Lands of Africa are a staple for this show. The Lion King sets itself apart from other musicals through this fantastical use of puppetry to create a magical feeling like no other.

This show fills the Princess of Wales Theatre to the brim with spectacular design on a macro scale. As the first notes of Circle of Life begin, the ensemble begins to wildly climb through the jungle. Through a combination of hair and makeup (by Michael Ward), costumes (by Julie Taymor) and even stilt work, human actors fade away and magnificent animals appear before our eyes. A gigantic elephant stomps, birds swing overhead of the audience and zebras, rhinos and antelopes sing and dance through the aisles of the theatre, much to the awe of the audience.

This cast is filled with lively performances that match the energy of their animated counterparts. Scar (Salvatore Antonio) embodies a super fun supervillain, easing his way through the song Be Prepared with cattiness and swagger. The Young Simba (Ira Nabong) and Young Nala (Nendia Lewars) give roaring performances full of spunk. Simba (Erick D. Patrick) delivers a grounding performance full of bravado and musicality that propels the show forward. The herd of hyenas (Jewelle Blackman, Joema Frith and Simon Gallant) are equal parts chatteringly scary and hilarious: their dynamic scenes are stand-outs. The final dance face-off between the hyenas and the lionesses feels reminiscent of the Rats in The Nutcracker.

The dance and movement vocabulary of the show choreographed by Garth Fagan is delectable. Using costumes, puppetry and masks to their full advantage, they choreograph animal dances with a blend of dance styles and acrobatics to truly create an ecosystem on stage. The orchestration of The Lion King by Robert Elhai and David Metzger is intricate and fantastical: the score contains a medley of classical, pop, rock and gospel music that blends cohesively for the beloved nostalgic score. In the Princess of Wales theatre, you can see the percussionists just off stage, bouncing from instrument to instrument.

The use of language in this show stands out, incorporating a range of African languages, including Swahili, Xhosa and Zulu. There is a gorgeous intertwining of African culture directly into the music, choreography, and text of the show. The Lion King invites audiences to witness this amalgamation of cultures through the lens of this nostalgic story.

The Lion King is nothing new. As someone who doesn’t have a particular nostalgic tie to the story, parts of the musical dragged in pacing, especially in Act II. But I am well aware that this musical’s faults are far outweighed by its fantastical strengths. Debuting in 1997 and winning several Tonys, including Best Musical, this show is certainly a people-pleaser. The bounding and dynamic choreography, the sweeping and pitch-perfect vocals from the ensemble and the familiar story amalgamate into a nostalgic magical night at the theatre.