Madagascar the Musical – Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield

Book: Kevin Del Aguila

Music and Lyrics: George Noriega and Joel Someillan

Director: Kirk Jameson

After his successShrek the musicalunsurprisingly, another Dreamworks title has been adapted for the stage – this time,Madagascarwas turned into a stage musical. However, whereShrekappeals to both young audiences and those who grew up with the film,Musical Madagascar it is very much aimed at the young audience. While the show is colorful, energetic and fun, this show doesn’t particularly pack an emotional punch.

Musical Madagascarfollows Marty the Zebra as he dreams of returning to the wild and finding where he belongs. Finally, after breaking free from the Central Park Zoo before being recaptured, Marty and his animal friends find themselves on the island of Madagascar, back in the wild. The second act then follows Alex the lion as he adjusts to a life without the structure of human intervention and support.

The show has some catchy songs written by George Noriega and Joel Someillan, but for the most part, the music feels like it was written for young school performers rather than a major UK tour. Kevin Del Aguila’s book is well written for a young audience, keeping the story moving at a pace – the show is just under 2 hours including the interval, which means the kids don’t get restless, but there isn’t a huge amount of depth in the characters.

Tom Rogers’ set is fairly simple and small, but generally works well in depicting the various settings. His costumes, on the other hand, are wonderful – colorful and straight out of a movie. Max Humphries’ puppet design is a standout element of this show, perfectly replicating the beloved characters from the film. Fabian Aloise’s choreography is another outstanding element of this show. His choreography is energetic and lively, with I Like To Move It (yes, it’s included in the stage show) a highlight of the production.

Headlining the show as King Julien for this tour is the CBBC presenter andStrictly Come Dancingstar Karim Zeroual. Zeroual does a great job – he’s funny and charismatic, builds a strong rapport with the audience and delivers a perfect vocal performance on the iconic I Like To Move It – you’d easily think he was the original vocalist for the song in the film.

Francisco Gomes does a good job as Marty with some nice vocal moments. He humanizes the character well, making the audience root for him and his dreams of returning to the wild. Joseph Hewlett brings Alex the lion to life very well. At the start of the show, he’s pretty cartoonish, but in the second act he shines as we see Alex’s struggle to figure out who he is and where he belongs. His gives some great pop vocals, but sometimes it seems like we’re losing diction in favor of style, meaning it’s sometimes difficult to hear the words. Joshua Oakes-Rogers gives an entertaining performance as Melman, while Jarnéia Richard-Noel gives an outstanding performance as Gloria. Her voice is (unsurprisingly as a member of the originalSixcast) strong and it’s a shame she doesn’t get a solo number on the show.

The multi-rolling ensemble of Laura Marie Benson, Brogan McFarlane, Connor Keetley, James Hilton-Foster and, on this performance, the swinging Aidan Harkins is terrific. They bring to life King Julien’s entourage as well as the infamous penguin crew. Keetley is a particular highlight as Skipper and Hilton-Foster are perfectly camp bringing Mason the Monkey to life. McFarlane is also delightful in bringing the smallest and youngest animals in the show to life, making them adorable with her puppetry and voice acting skills.

Musical Madagascarit’s a fun night, the perfect young crowd and their parents. It looks fabulous with some talented performers bringing a bunch of iconic characters to life.

It runs until May 25, 2024, before going on tour.