9/10/2023 0 Comments Aladin on broadway reviewA subtle curtain ripples across the dark stage. The sensation of “awe” is attempted visually with the Aladdin and Jasmine on a character-less magic carpet ride against a blinking starfield backdrop. The delivery of the duet felt emotionless. Another disappoint was, oddly enough, “A Whole New World”. There is a melody in “These Palace Walls” that sounds awful recognizable from the song “Rhythm of the Tambourine” from the Disney live musical adaptation of “Hunchback of Notre Dame”. However “Somebody’s Got Your Back” during a prison scene seems to slow down the show’s pace and is a bit of a head-scratcher. “Proud of Your Boy” and “High Adventure” were restored after being cut from the original film and is a delightful welcome. The new songs added to this production fits well enough and serves a purpose to push the story forward. The Broadway musical brings back many classical music and song favorites from the collaboration of Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice. As shiny and bright as everything is made to be, there is little to break up the monotony of the color scheme. It’s literally everywhere from the rock walls, to the face of the cave, and eventually the ensemble costumes. The interior of the Cave of Wonders is adorned with an endless amount of gold. A contrast to life inside and outside the palace walls. The palace itself focuses on displaying a white, probably plain, cleanliness adorned with intricate wall panels. Amongst other lyrical changes to the theatrical version to set the show’s tone. Some may oppose the dramatic brights of the city, but the opening song number “Arabian Nights” divulges and sets up that this is not your typical fictional city. From the bright neon fabrics of Agrabah to the pristine whites of the royal palace, and, of course, the wash of golds inside the Cave of Wonders. Jay Paranada plays him with a ridiculously fun flair to match his ridiculously large pants.ĭisney’s Aladdin utilizes a brilliant scope of colors, set design, dance choreography, and dazzling costumes that will keep the imagination alive. Jafar’s loyal minion Iago molts his parrot feathers to be a human follower of Jafar’s evil plot. Perhaps a tongue-in-cheek awareness to Disney’s own trio of ducklings Huey, Dewey, and Louie? Zach Bencal, Philippe Arroyo, and Jed Feder play each other and Aladdin off well with humor and insights. Oddly enough, also color coordinated with the RGB (red, green, and blue) color model. Instead of the adorable monkey Abu as Aladdin’s partner in crime, we are treated to not one, not two, but three human partners in crime named Babkak, Omar, and Kassim. Some parallel characterizations unique to the Broadway musical involves the sidekicks to Aladdin and Jafar. He performs the role to the delight of audience laughter despite some distracting comedic timing. Jafar, performed menacingly by Jonathan Weir, plays the antagonist in search of a magical lamp that summons a powerful genie to grant three wishes.Īs for Genie, Major Attaway comes direct from Broadway with this tour company. But when it comes to her playing a joke, that seems to really push boundaries. The character seems to purposely not want to meet the expectations of what a person of royalty would act. This is most likely be due to the production’s vision rather than the performer. It’s more like a person playing a character rather than being the character. The princess herself, played by Lissa deGuzman, maybe the role considered most deviated from any previous incarnation. Aladdin, played by Clinton Greenspan, slips in very well as the protagonist aiming to win the heart of Princess Jasmine. The cast of characters is mostly what you would expect to know and love. It’s refreshing and very memorable once you know them. This helps keep the show more timeless and not so reliant in changing outdated humor. Take the humor, for example, the script is littered with playful puns over an exhausting list of pop culture references. But never fear, the Disney Theatrical production team makes this show it’s own. One can’t help but be critical of the Broadway performance that follows a favorite theme park show that performed for 13 years. The show faces a tough crowd as it plays to a local audience that was most familiar with a live musical version of the 1992 Disney animated feature just a couple of miles north in the Hyperion Theatre at the Disneyland Resort. Make way for the world’s most beloved street rat as this diamond in the rough brings high adventure to Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. This post contains affiliate links and our team will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on the links.
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