We’ve watched it on tapes, on flatscreen TVs and have even read much about it. But for the first time here in the city, theatre enthusiasts will get to relive the magic of the jungle as city-based Hot Shoe Dance Company is all set to enthrall them with Lion King, a musical. “It had been done at a school level or college level before here in Chennai, but never at a professional level,” says an excited Jeffery Vardon, director and choreographer of the show. “Our show will be almost like the one in Broadway. We’ve made no compromises.”
Two years ago, when Vardon was in London, he got the chance to watch Lion King on stage. “I couldn’t manage the very expensive seats, so I sat on the top, side rows. It worked as an advantage for me because I had a top-angle view of everything on stage — the sets, the hydraulics,” he begins, “More than I watched it for the entertainment value, I watched it with ‘I can do it, I can do it...’ running in my head.”
And there are no two ways about it. Like the rest of his productions, everything about the Lion King is also “big”. “The sets are on wheels, the costumes, the lights, the masks,” says Vardon, trying his best not to be distracted by the giraffe masks he’s working on. “Yes, we have all sorts of animals. We have poikkal kuthirai artistes to play the parts of the giraffes because those animals need to walk on stilts and I’ve always enjoyed collaborations,” he explains.
But this doesn’t mean that his version of the musical will be ‘Indianised’. “I am just using a few Indian techniques,” he says, adding that his choreography will be a mix of many styles of dance. “Latin, ballet, contemporary, Indian — it is a very open choreography. Can you feel the love tonight is a ballet number, there is a little rock ‘n’ roll with kids in Hakuna Matata,” he elaborates.
Speaking about the sets, he says that nothing about it will be real. “Everything will have an animated look to it,” he says, explaining that the show will be as close to a real Lion King experience as one can get. But the two-hour show is not a replica of the movie, for all practical purposes. “There are many scenes from the movie that are not in the musical, but there are also many new scenes that have been added, like a grassland chant,” he reveals.
Having received copyrights from Walt Disney to make their own music, Lion King has music by Timothy Madhukar. “The lead vocals will go live on stage and the choruses have been recorded, but all voices are original,” says Vardon.
With actor Varalakshmi Sarathkumar playing a big role in the musical, Vardon says that casting was what was most difficult. “For someone to play Mufasa (Simba’s father), the actor must be able to roar, and sing as well. And for Scar, he has to sing really well because he has two great songs, but must also be able to pull off the sleazy uncle look,” he illustrates.
What Lion King really is, is a “feel good show”. There are no heavy messages for the audience to take back home, but there is one clear theme. “I’ve laid emphasis on the concept of ‘circle of life’ that the Lion King is all about,” says Vardon, adding that he’s used a lot of symbolism to drive home the message.
(Lion King will be staged on November 10 and 11 at the Sir Mutha Venkata Subba Rao Concert Hall. For details and tickets, call 89397 17533 or visit www.eventjini.com)