"You can only marvel at the exotic procession of animals before you: the giraffes and the elephants and the hippopotamuses and all those birds in balletic flight. These are creatures of air and light and even a touch of divinity. Where are you, really, anyway? Somehow you have fallen into what appears to be a primal paradise. Such is the transporting magic wrought by the opening 10 minutes of ''The Lion King.''"
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"Taymor populates the stage with an amazing menagerie of beasts; her audacious staging expands a simple cub into the pride of Broadway, not merely a fable of heredity but a celebration of heritage."
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"You will be bombarded by some of the most beautiful and spectacular sights theater can offer from before and behind, so eyes in the back of the head will come in handy.
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"'The Lion King' was astonishing, in the jaw-dropping manner of speaking. And today, 21 years later, it still is...Taymor, the avant-garde director to whom Disney entrusted the piece, outdid herself...Everything still looks wonderful, and looks practically brand new, too. One of the stunning elements for me, this time through, was the realization of how brilliantly this show moves...The hard-working ensemble is well-drilled and exceptional."
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"It’s Julie Taymor’s puppetry that continues to astound...The problem is that the rest of the musical is not as good as Taymor’s vision for the animals and their gorgeous ensemble numbers...Now, the beauty is there, but the show feels a bit worn...The few big numbers aside, much of the John-Rice score is middling ’90s pop rock...That said, the performances, even now, are rather lovely...But you’re not here for the performances. You’re here for the puppets. And they’re worth it."
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"The Lion King is a spectacular rendition of the animated film, a brilliant theatrical adaptation that stands on its own...Taymor has risen to the challenge, translating the physically complex tale to the stage with an endlessly clever, visually stunning use of masks, puppetry, costumes and scenic effects; the stage show has the delighted audience firmly in its grip."
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"A stunning stage event. Combining a graceful horde of actors, singers and dancers with a stylized world of fantastic puppets and theatrical wonderment."
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"The opening scene unfolds with moment after giddy moment of astonishment. South African choral harmonies, with their calming and yet exuberant rhythms of attack and release, seem to come from everywhere in the darkness. A magical rich jungle parade."
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