The list is, of course, endless, with Mrs. Pretty Woman is similarly built for pure nostalgia (when it could be questioning the dubious moral message about happy hookers from a modern perspective), as is Sister Act, which hits very familiar notes. Dirty Dancing is so determined to please movie fans that it even includes scenes such as Johnny and Baby practising their moves in the lake, a sequence that becomes unintentionally hilarious on stage. Indeed, the copycat production is a particular curse of the modern musical. Perhaps there would have been riots led by seven-year-olds dressed as Elsa if the latter had dared to deviate (let it go, girls!) but it seems like a rather pointless occupation of our theatres if these shows give you exactly the same experience as watching the film. More recently we’ve had Frozen, a strictly replicated version of the smash-hit animation. Among the House of Mouse’s contributions to the genre are Aladdin, which transformed the smart, reputation-enhancing 1992 film into something that veered towards slapstick. One of the strangest things is that Disney, clearly buoyed by that show’s success, has rarely allowed any directors after Taymor to take the same bold, creative risks and turn their films into genuine theatrical works.
Paradoxically, for such an adored production, The Lion King has ruined musical theatre. And yet, its legacy in terms of musical theatre is more complicated. Its reputation is seemingly imperishable. The Lion King has grossed $9 billion (about £7.6 billion) worldwide and played in 24 countries – on every continent except Antarctica. One of Taymor’s many innovations was inspired by Japanese Bunraku-style puppetry which allowed the audience to see the actors, with animal masks on their heads evoking the characters. This adaptation of the 1994 Disney film was boosted by the visionary brilliance of director Julie Taymor who, after some tricky discussions with studio executives, was allowed to play fast and loose with the original. When The Lion King opened on Broadway 25 years ago, it immediately proved to be a critical and commercial success.
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