New Wimbledon Theatre – until 28 July 2018
Reviewed by Sabrina Fancy
4****
Transferring the success of a successful animated film to the live stage has not always been a successful feat, so I was curious how the much-loved Dream Works’s film Madagascar would work on stage.
The story remains the same as the film. Set in a New York zoo, the story follows four zoo animals – Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo who escape and by accident find themselves on the African island of Madagascar. Surrounded by a horde of wild animals, Alex the Lion finds his more primitive instincts return.
Matt Terry who was the winner of X Factor 2016, made his acting debut as the lead role of Alex the Lion. He was energetic and showcased exactly why he won the coveted X Factor title.
Timmika Ramsay also delivers a solid performance as Gloria, while Antoine Murray-Straughan’s rapping, reminded me so much of Chris Rock’s character of Marty from the film and had great comedic timing.
We particularly enjoyed Jo Parsons’ who played the hilarious lemur King Julien with his brilliant performance of ‘I like to move it move it,’ which was made more contemporary by the use of flossing which the audience went wild for.
The costumes were absolutely brilliant and the set design, bright and enchanting. The use of puppetry for the penguins, monkey and lemurs contributed to the comic mood and magic of the evening.
The cast must be commended for such an energetic performance with aplomb, considering the costumes they were in and the fact that it was the hottest evening of the year.
My biggest critique of the show was that it lasted only 100 minutes including a 20 – minute interval, which left my children and I wanting more!
I give Madagascar the Musical 4 stars and highly recommend it, because of its appeal for children and adults. It’s a perfect evening out during the summer break.
Madagascar The Musical is at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 28th July, then touring.