the mane attraction Oh yes, it’s a lion: Disney’s leonine blockbuster is padding stealthily towards Bristol . . .
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ome dubbed it ‘Bambi on the Serengeti’; others, ‘Hamlet with lions’. Whatever the similarities to any literary and movie predecessors, the fact remains that Disney’s The Lion King, with its admittedly uncuddly-sounding plot about a lion cub trying to reclaim his murdered father’s land (that’ll be the Hamlet bit, then), became one of the best-loved tales of all time. It all started with the 1994 animated movie – one of the big successes of Disney’s ‘comeback’ era, along with The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. The film began in jaw-dropping style, with that opening sequence: an epic, overhead procession of animals, set to a mesmerising Zulu chant that (as we subsequently learned) translates, rather bathetically as “Here comes a lion, father; oh yes, it’s a lion” (and repeat). More recently, we’ve had Disney’s ‘live action’ remake, with the CGI beasties voiced by Beyoncé, Donald Glover and Chiwetel Ejiofor. The stage version’s been going for the last two decades. Brace yourself, stats fans: there have been 25 global productions, seen by over 100 million people in over 100 cities in 19 countries, earning it the highest worldwide gross of any entertainment title in box office history. The latest tour, which opens at Bristol Hippodrome this month, is the autumn big-hitter for the theatre. We met three key figures behind the show, and asked them what they felt was the secret of The Lion King’s phenomenal appeal.
“GREAT CREATIVITY”
Lebohang Morake, also known as Lebo M, has worked on both the film and stage versions as a composer, singer, and performer, and has recorded four songs for the soundtrack of the remake. The director of the original Broadway show, Julie Taymor, said she was inspired by the music of Lebo in her stage adaptation, which resulted in the inclusion of many South African influences. “People can relate to aspects of most of the characters,” says Lebo. “In every family there’s a Scar, a Timon and Pumbaa; a mother or father of authority. And everyone can relate to death. I’m still amazed how much that touches people. There’s great creativity in the staging of the show, and a great universality in the story. “The Lion King introduced a new audience to animation, a new audience to theatre, long before we even go to the obvious new opportunities for South African music and South African talent. It’s opened doors in many ways. It’s a very proud legacy.”
44 I BRISTOL LIFE I www.mediaclash.co.uk