It's a really tough call, but I think Phantom of the Opera has just been usurped as my #1 musical by the Lion King.
The Lion King was a hugely significant part of my childhood. Middle sister and I spent hours (days, light years) singing all the lines, back and forth, alternating who sung Simba/Nala or Timon/Pumba. Apparently we used to sit at the dinner table singing our way through the movie, line by line - Mum and Dad must have been nearly catatonic by the third or fourth time. Even now when I hear snippets of lyrics I break into a solo rendition and sing away with complete disregard for my reputation or the ears of anyone happening to be nearby.
So last year when I saw it for the first time in London (best seats in the house) and Rafiki belted out the opening lines of Circle of Life as giraffe ambled it's way through the theatre seats to the stage, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I was that overwhelmed. The songs, the colours, the costumes... the costumes are something else entirely. They seem to come alive and move independently. After about ten minutes you completely forget that there is a person there - all attention is focused on the puppet. But I digress...
When the BF suggested we go again now it's showing in Singapore, I jumped at the chance. And what do you know, I cried again.
Small injections of local flavour got an enthusiastic response from the audience - the Merlion got a mention, some Singlish ("let it go lah") snuck in. A few items went over my head - a Chinese phrase and a song I didn't recognise - but the audience loved it.
Behind us was a Japanese family with a gorgeous little girl who clearly loved the Lion King as much as me. Occasionally she'd burst out with a few lyrics and sing a long. I was impressed by her rendition of Hakuna Matata.
Will I go again? Definitely.
The Lion King was a hugely significant part of my childhood. Middle sister and I spent hours (days, light years) singing all the lines, back and forth, alternating who sung Simba/Nala or Timon/Pumba. Apparently we used to sit at the dinner table singing our way through the movie, line by line - Mum and Dad must have been nearly catatonic by the third or fourth time. Even now when I hear snippets of lyrics I break into a solo rendition and sing away with complete disregard for my reputation or the ears of anyone happening to be nearby.
So last year when I saw it for the first time in London (best seats in the house) and Rafiki belted out the opening lines of Circle of Life as giraffe ambled it's way through the theatre seats to the stage, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I was that overwhelmed. The songs, the colours, the costumes... the costumes are something else entirely. They seem to come alive and move independently. After about ten minutes you completely forget that there is a person there - all attention is focused on the puppet. But I digress...
When the BF suggested we go again now it's showing in Singapore, I jumped at the chance. And what do you know, I cried again.
Small injections of local flavour got an enthusiastic response from the audience - the Merlion got a mention, some Singlish ("let it go lah") snuck in. A few items went over my head - a Chinese phrase and a song I didn't recognise - but the audience loved it.
Behind us was a Japanese family with a gorgeous little girl who clearly loved the Lion King as much as me. Occasionally she'd burst out with a few lyrics and sing a long. I was impressed by her rendition of Hakuna Matata.
Will I go again? Definitely.
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