Madagascar The Musical is a vibrant and energetic stage adaptation of the DreamWorks animated film, filled with original songs, colourful costumes, and impressive puppetry making for a fun show for children and fans of the original movie.
The story follows the familiar tale of Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, and Gloria the Hippopotamus as they find themselves shipwrecked on the lush island of Madagascar. Along the way, they encounter a cast of quirky and memorable characters, including the scheming King Julien and his loyal subjects, the penguins.
The musical's standout feature is undoubtedly its puppetry. The puppets are incredibly well-crafted and expressive, bringing the animal characters to life with remarkable detail. The puppeteers are also deserving of praise for their skillful manipulation of the puppets, allowing them to dance, sing, and interact with the human actors seamlessly.
The original songs are perfunctory in helping to tell the story; there were no real standout ones and at times some could have been replaced by a few lines of dialogue. It felt that it was all leading up to the use of "I Like to Move It" a song which was a hit in the movie and one which drew howls of laughter from the younger members of the audience but overall it was an opportunity missed to write some real catchy tunes.
The set design is impressive, transforming the stage from city zoo to colourful and vibrant jungle. The lighting and sound effects are also well done, further enhancing the immersive experience of the show.
The cast brings the animal characters to life with their energetic performances and engaging personalities. Alex is portrayed with a charming swagger, Marty is appropriately neurotic, Melman is endearingly hypochondriac, and Gloria is sassy and confident, but again it will be fans of the movie who will recognise the interplay between these roles, for the uninitiated it seemed quite disjointed.
Overall, this is a delightful and entertaining production that will appeal to fans of the movi and runs until Saturday 25th November.