Let's face it. Reviews of the new Disney Theatrical Productions' Frozen-The Broadway-Bound Musical are only useful if they provide constructive critical feedback to the creative team. No review of this show is going to have any effect on ticket sales for the upcoming Broadway transfer. The good news is that for a brand-new show on its feet in front of a live audience for the first time (in forever) is in surprisingly good shape. Does it need some work? Of course it does. But, the reactions from the packed crowds in the Buell Theater at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts signal that Disney has a sure-fire hit on its hands.
The 2013 animated film which won two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (Let It Go), became a cultural juggernaut. It's path to Broadway, however, followed a very similar trajectory to the Broadway version of Beauty and the Beast in the 1990's. The first staged version was a Disney On Ice production, which was very faithful to the film, including a chorus of skating trolls and Marshmallow, the abominable snowman. It next made its debut as a 65 minute stage musical at Disney California Adventure theme park. In that version, Marshmallow was gone, Wanderin' Oaken made a token cameo, but it still was faithful to the film's story arc.
Jennifer Lee, who wrote the film's screenplay and co-directed the film, returns as the book writer for the expanded Broadway-bound stage version. Likewise, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, who wrote the film's songs, return to write the new score. They are joined by director Michael Grandage, choreographer Rob Ashford, scenic and costume designer Christopher Oram, lighting designer Natasha Katz and a host of talented technical wizards who find a way to bring this well-known property into a new and expanded life.
For Frozen-The Musical is much more complex than the 2013 film. The story is the same, but the journey features welcome character development and the removal of some elements (wolves crashing a sleigh, Marshmallow, and the Trolls) that provide a better theatrical experience.
Rest assured that your children, particularly the many, many little girls wearing their best princess costumes to the show will be entranced. The adults will find heartfelt depth in this story of estranged sisters finding their way back to each other via an act of true love.
There is little that a reviewer can spoil for someone attending this show as the film and its story are well known. That said be prepared for some of the usual sequences to be out of order from what you recall and elements of the staging to truly provide multiple wow moments.
Amongst those wow moments is the portrayal of Sven the reindeer. The costuming for this character is vastly improved over the Disney California Adventure version. Kudos to Sven's portrayer, Andrew Pirozzi for making Sven believable. Olaf, portrayed by the very funny and adorable Greg Hildreth, is similar in style to the California Adventure version...on steroids. If you have seen Timon in The Lion King you will know how Olaf is portrayed. Yet, this is a greatly improved puppet that has some magic up its sleeves and a warm heart given life by Mr. Hildreth.
Kristoff is given a better introduction than the film, providing more potential for an actual love triangle to develop in the course of the story. Jelani Alladin is charming and playfully belligerent and sweet, especially when he sings his act two love song, Kristoff's Lullaby. Prince Hans of the Southern Isles is as dashing as you would expect as portrayed by John Riddle. The flaw remains from the film that when Hans takes a sudden character twist it still feels forced. If the script would give a few hints that Hans is not the prince of Anna's dreams the twist would not ring false.
Patti Murin may have played a starring role on Broadway before in the briefly seen Lysistrata Jones. Murin's Anna is the role that will make her a star. She's full of life and exuberance, echoed by the girls who play Young Anna ( Ayla Schwartz at this performance). Ms. Murin is a terrific comedian, yet her love for her troubled distant sister Elsa comes across as real pain and a desire to make things right. A new song in act two when Anna is at the depths of despair, True Love, gives you all of Anna's hopes and anguish.
Cassie Levy's Elsa is much, much more than the queen of snow and ice. Given two new songs that show her hopes for normalcy, Dangerous to Dream, and in act two, when her nightmares about her powers comes true, Monster, Ms. Levy adds emotional punch to her royal snow queen who yearns to Let It Go. And that power ballad is just as invigorating as the film, wisely ending the first act.
A small highlight that must be mentioned is the new and fun number that opens Act Two. It is inevitable that a show like Frozen will have long lines at the bathrooms at intermission and that many people will return to their seats after the act begins. So that no true story elements are missed the second act begins with a wonderful funny showstopping number headed by Wanderin' Oaken (Kevin Del Aguila) and a chorus of dancing, sauna loving family members. Hygge is a fun frolicing tune that gets the audience a chance to settle back in from the mad dash of intermission with small children in tow, ready to resume the story.
That story in act two does take a slight darker tone than the film. Rest assured that little theatergoers will not find it so dark as to cause parents' concern about their reactions. The story will work out in the end. The climax of that story is another wow theatrical magic moment.
If there is any new element to the story that doesn't quite work it is the replacement for the Trolls by another element of Scandinavian lore, the Hidden Folk. For the most part, the Hidden Folk work as replacements for the Trolls. And, it is implied in the script that Elsa and Anna's mother, Queen Iduna (Ann Sanders) may have Hidden Folk origins thereby giving an organic reason for Elsa's powers. What doesn't work so well is that the leader of the Hidden Folk, Pabbie (Timothy Hughes) narrates the story at several points. This is a case of too much telling the story instead of showing the story. The appearance of Pabbie at certain times in the story make sense. Cut back on the narration so that it doesn't dilute the power of the story and the script would be vastly improved.
Frozen - The Musical is going to be embraced by lovers of the 2013 film and families whose children demand to see all things Disney Theatrical. For the casual theater goer and lover of Broadway Frozen also has much to offer. No matter what any reviewer says it will run many, many years once it transfers to the St. James Theatre next winter.
This review was based on a performance one week into the world premiere production at the Buell Theater at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. As with any show in its early stages changes may have occurred between this review and the official opening night.
Frozen The Musical is having its world premiere at the Buell Theater at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts through October 1, 2017. For tickets please visit https://www.denvercenter.org/ Frozen The Broadway Musical starts performances at the St. James Theatre on Broadway on February 22, 2017. For tickets and additional information please visit http://frozenthemusical.com/
