{"id":630,"date":"2012-02-20T04:13:30","date_gmt":"2012-02-20T04:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lionkingbroadwayticketsonline.com\/blog\/?p=630"},"modified":"2012-02-20T04:13:30","modified_gmt":"2012-02-20T04:13:30","slug":"the-lion-king-landmark-theater-va-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.lionkingbroadwayticketsonline.com\/blog\/the-lion-king-landmark-theater-va-review\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lion King Landmark Theater VA Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lion King is currently performing on tour at Landmark Theatre VA<\/a> in Richmond, VA<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lion King is one of the most profitable, longest running Broadway musicals around. But if you want an experience that is its own theater entity, that takes inspiration from the movie and then runs with it to wild, unexpected places, you\u2019re not going to consistently find it here. The first 10 minutes of Disney\u2019s Broadway musical, “The Lion King,” are the stuff of theater transcendence.<\/p>\n

A perfectly formed giraffe crosses the stage of the Landmark Theater, and you have to work backwards to realize it\u2019s actually a human in costume. An elephant ambles down the aisle, and it is somehow rooted in the earth and simultaneously the stuff of pure, weird imagination.<\/p>\n

But every time one of these moments happens and you feel like you\u2019re watching the story of “The Lion King” in a completely new way, the next moment the musical grows timid and hurries back to an exact replica of the source material.<\/p>\n

The musical, like the film, follows the arc of the young lion, Simba, whose wise, ruling father, Mufasa is killed by the nefarious Uncle Scar. Scar and his band of hyena followers take over the lands of Pride Rock. Simba is exiled to the jungle where he finds zany friends, Timon and Pumba, and ultimately the courage to return and fight. The rest is Disney history.<\/p>\n

The biggest challenge of transitioning this story to stage is the fact that all of the characters are African animals. It could so easily be laughable. But this is where “The Lion King” musical is at its most inspired. Costume designer, Julie Taymor, along with her mask and puppet design partner, Michael Curry, will go down in Broadway legend for what they\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve never seen a faster standing ovation than I did at the Landmark at the end of “The Lion King.” And it\u2019s well deserved, because this musical is unlike anything you\u2019ve probably ever seen. Its story is solid, because the film\u2019s story is such a classic, well-constructed arc. Elton John and Tim Rice\u2019s music and lyrics, including all of the film\u2019s songs, are also solid and familiar. All of that makes for a very good musical.<\/p>\n

Read the complete review {Via Richmond.com<\/a>}<\/p>\n

The Lion King runs through March 11 at the Landmark Theater<\/a>. Buy Lion King Richmond VA Tickets<\/a> Online, Use Code AFF$10 to Get $10 OFF on Orders over $350!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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