Frozen - Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Dec 5, 2021 12:29:33 GMT
BurlyBeaR, horton, and 12 more like this
Post by YemceeA on Dec 5, 2021 12:29:33 GMT
Hi all! I recently moved to London from New York and have been lucky enough to see lots and lots of theatre since the reopening in May. Immersing my American palate in the West End has been a fascinating experience, and I’ve started feeling the urge to share my thoughts with other theatre lovers. I’m going to begin my New Year’s resolution a month early and start reviewing everything I see (along with some high/lowlights from the last few months). Hopefully my slightly distinct perspective can bring something a bit new to the boards!
First up:
Frozen @ Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (01/12/2021 Evening Performance)
For me, Frozen is by far the best animated musical film since The Lion King. I saw it in cinemas four times in the winter of 2013. However, when the musical was announced to be premiering in New York a mere five years later, I was mega(musical) dubious. Time is often the best friend of screen-to-stage adaptations, and I suspected that audiences had yet to distance themselves from the film enough to accept anything other “Frozen! Live!! On Stage!!!”. Now, I have nothing against a Disneyland musical with a Mascot-style Nemo floating around, but this material is certainly rich enough to warrant something a bit more creative. Production shots and reviews quickly confirmed my fears, and word that the ice palace was designed sans grand staircase sealed the deal. I decided to save my pennies to go see Frozen II instead (also fantastic, by the way).
Fast forward a few years to Christmastime in London, I find myself sitting in Drury Lane (holy f**k what a spectacular theatre) with modest expectations and massive excitement. I must say, I was quite charmed by it. Is it essentially the movie spat out on stage? Yes. But it’s done with care, class, and the tiniest bit of cheek. My biggest problem with the show was the length. I found the storytelling rather thin, and would’ve liked some more time with the supporting characters. The scenes and songs from the film are translated well, but any new music feels like filler. I particularly liked the opening sequence (through “For the First Time in Forever”), with surprising bits of stage-magic, well-done narration from the ensemble, and a final chorus that gave me chills. After that, I found the production numbers competent, but only occasionally stirring. Though I usually love Rob Ashford’s choreography, it gets lost behind the hoop-skirts and nude illusion suits. Even “Fixer Upper”, which should be a riotous act-two romp, felt rushed and undercooked. There isn’t enough of a build into or out of the dance break to grant us a spectacular final button, and that might’ve been the biggest shame of the evening.
The cast is uniformly strong, with the clear stand-out being 2nd cover Emily Lane as Anna, (partially because hers is the only character given enough development to really get the audience invested). She carries us through the evening with warmth, whimsy, and a poised determination (and appears to be having the time of her life doing it). Samantha Barks blows the roof off the place with “Let It Go”, but otherwise lacks the material and stage time to add substantial depth or nuance to Elsa. Special shout-out to the cast of “Cats” for their cameo appearances in both acts. Very camp.
The design is positively splendorous with just the right balance of golden-age glitz and modern-day technological magic. Yes, the set and costumes are gorgeous (all those Swarovski crystals!), but I was most impressed by the lighting. Paired beautifully with a subtle impressionist projection design, Neil Austin is able to bring just about enough drama to key moments to make up for the stilted book writing. There were two moments of stagecraft in the first act that really made me gasp: one involving a neverending set piece, and another a truly spectacular quick-change. Its a shame that brilliance wasn’t exceeded or even matched by anything in the second half.
Critiques aside, Frozen is largely successful as a family-friendly, magical, and occasionally moving spectacle. I enjoyed myself immensely, and so did the seven-year old Elsa sitting next to me, whose opinions should be given far more weight than mine.
First up:
Frozen @ Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (01/12/2021 Evening Performance)
For me, Frozen is by far the best animated musical film since The Lion King. I saw it in cinemas four times in the winter of 2013. However, when the musical was announced to be premiering in New York a mere five years later, I was mega(musical) dubious. Time is often the best friend of screen-to-stage adaptations, and I suspected that audiences had yet to distance themselves from the film enough to accept anything other “Frozen! Live!! On Stage!!!”. Now, I have nothing against a Disneyland musical with a Mascot-style Nemo floating around, but this material is certainly rich enough to warrant something a bit more creative. Production shots and reviews quickly confirmed my fears, and word that the ice palace was designed sans grand staircase sealed the deal. I decided to save my pennies to go see Frozen II instead (also fantastic, by the way).
Fast forward a few years to Christmastime in London, I find myself sitting in Drury Lane (holy f**k what a spectacular theatre) with modest expectations and massive excitement. I must say, I was quite charmed by it. Is it essentially the movie spat out on stage? Yes. But it’s done with care, class, and the tiniest bit of cheek. My biggest problem with the show was the length. I found the storytelling rather thin, and would’ve liked some more time with the supporting characters. The scenes and songs from the film are translated well, but any new music feels like filler. I particularly liked the opening sequence (through “For the First Time in Forever”), with surprising bits of stage-magic, well-done narration from the ensemble, and a final chorus that gave me chills. After that, I found the production numbers competent, but only occasionally stirring. Though I usually love Rob Ashford’s choreography, it gets lost behind the hoop-skirts and nude illusion suits. Even “Fixer Upper”, which should be a riotous act-two romp, felt rushed and undercooked. There isn’t enough of a build into or out of the dance break to grant us a spectacular final button, and that might’ve been the biggest shame of the evening.
The cast is uniformly strong, with the clear stand-out being 2nd cover Emily Lane as Anna, (partially because hers is the only character given enough development to really get the audience invested). She carries us through the evening with warmth, whimsy, and a poised determination (and appears to be having the time of her life doing it). Samantha Barks blows the roof off the place with “Let It Go”, but otherwise lacks the material and stage time to add substantial depth or nuance to Elsa. Special shout-out to the cast of “Cats” for their cameo appearances in both acts. Very camp.
The design is positively splendorous with just the right balance of golden-age glitz and modern-day technological magic. Yes, the set and costumes are gorgeous (all those Swarovski crystals!), but I was most impressed by the lighting. Paired beautifully with a subtle impressionist projection design, Neil Austin is able to bring just about enough drama to key moments to make up for the stilted book writing. There were two moments of stagecraft in the first act that really made me gasp: one involving a neverending set piece, and another a truly spectacular quick-change. Its a shame that brilliance wasn’t exceeded or even matched by anything in the second half.
Critiques aside, Frozen is largely successful as a family-friendly, magical, and occasionally moving spectacle. I enjoyed myself immensely, and so did the seven-year old Elsa sitting next to me, whose opinions should be given far more weight than mine.
