Disney recruits artists, not hacks spends years developing its shows and turns out product that may be formulaic but never looks cheap or half-baked.Īladdin, in truth, seems to mark a certain downsizing of ambition. Nearly every Disney show has featured innovative staging, to turn animation into theatrical entertainment: Julie Taymor’s groundbreaking puppetry and set design for The Lion King the elegant, wheelie-assisted movement for the sea creatures in Francesca Zambello’s The Little Mermaid Pinchon Baldinu’s dazzling aerial choreography for Tarzan (Disney’s one Broadway flop). What’s more, for a crassly commercial entertainment conglomerate, Disney has shown a lot of respect for creative artists. As a result, family-friendly shows like The Lion King and (the non-Disney-produced) Wicked have become some of the biggest box office hits in Broadway history. The conventions of the musical were not strange to this generation (the way they were, say, to the rock generation that largely turned its back on Broadway). The kids who fell in love with Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and the others followed them to Broadway, and dragged their parents along. With the release 25 years ago of The Little Mermaid - the film that launched the studio’s animation renaissance - Disney introduced a new generation of children to the book musical. Get your tickets here.Rarely is Disney given credit for its role in keeping Broadway as vibrant and healthy as it still is. We’re going to end off with this: The cast and crew received two standing ovations. Shining, shimmering, splendid indeed.ĭisney's Aladdin is playing at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands until 1 September. We’d be lying if we said we didn’t get chills at times from the orchestra’s performance.Īll in all, Aladdin was a magical time. With music director Brent-Alan Huffman at the helm of the orchestra, the music further pushed the boundaries that accompanied the stunning visuals of the production. While classics and fan favourites from the films were featured in the musical, it was onstage that they were able to fully execute its original vision. An integral part of the musical, you can’t talk about the production without acknowledging the works of musical maestro Alan Menken and his amazing team. Last, but definitely not least, was the musical aspect of Aladdin. A fully functioning automated magic carpet was featured in the play and undoubtedly was one of the highlights of everyone’s evening. And let’s not forget about the iconic magic carpet. The props were larger than life, and the pieces were majestic and breathtaking. The desert city was brought to life in spectacular fashion, with enchanting lighting and backdrop. The set pieces, crafted by legendary set designer Bob Crowley were a sight to behold, breathing in new life to the land of Agrabah. As its sparkling golden structures rolled in, the audience gasped in awe, and screamed in delight as the Genie appeared amid confetti and sparks of fireworks.
His entrance, especially, with fan-favourite ‘ Friend Like Me’, dazzled beyond everyone’s wildest imaginations as the Cave of Wonders became one of the grandest set pieces in musical history. The show is about Aladdin, but make no mistake, Gareth Jacobs’ Genie is the star. Onstage, there’s a lot more to Jacobs’ Genie, than what we got in the film adaptations. We get it, Robin William’s iteration of the iconic role, is and always will be untouchable – for the silver screen. For the musical, the primary cast were given more time in the spotlight, with additional lines, and songs, being written for them, and more often than not, it helped add more depth to the well known characters.Ī special mention has to made, for Gareth Jacobs’ stunning portrayal of the Genie. Graeme Isaako, Shubshri Kandiah, and Gareth Jacobs, who portrayed Aladdin, Jasmine, and the Genie respectively put on outstanding performances, from their intricate dance numbers, to displaying their refined acting talents. While we’re thankful for the representation, it’s not just that brown actors were cast that makes this production as great as it is, it’s that the outstanding talents of minorities are finally being recognised and showcased. It was especially refreshing to see that the primary characters were portrayed by actors of colour, in a mainstream musical like Aladdin, no less.
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