Review of Madagascar: The Musical at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The 2005 Dreamworks film Madagascar introduced us to a menagerie of colourful anthropomorphic animal characters shipped off to Africa after a very happy life in Central Park Zoo. This simple concept has managed to spawn three further franchise films and a musical of the same name, first performed in 2018.

Designed very much for a younger audience, Madagascar the Musical lays everything on stage with broad strokes of colour and simple storytelling and from the perspective of that audience, it works really well, keeping the majority of its audience enthralled for its relatively brief one-hour 40 minutes, which includes the interval.

The show is filled with energy from its performers, delivering everything in a manner suited to the animated background of the story and with a children's TV feeling. Alex the lion played by Joseph Hewlett is the friendliest lion you could imagine, happily getting on in the zoo with what would be his steak in the wild. Alex has a wonderful relationship with his friend Marty the zebra played by Francisco Gomes and the two performers share a couple of rather delightful songs together, which are well performed.

Also, a brilliant singing performance comes from Jarnéia Richard-Noel as friendly and full of fun hippopotamus Gloria, and alongside a great comic turn by Joshua Oakes-Rogers as Melman the giraffe completes the four main adventurous characters.

The ensemble provides all but one more of the characters and they are excellently skilled in bringing to life Max Humphries and Emma Brunton's brilliant puppets. Of the ensemble cast characters, I suspect many will enjoy the brilliant penguins and their devilish plans of escape.

Finally from the cast, and for those of a certain demographic, the most famous performer in the show, is Karim Zeroual. Famous for CBBC and Strictly Come Dancing, here he is in the role of King Julien, and he brings a performance which thrills the audience and brings to life perhaps the best musical number, familiar to most as well, I Like to Move It.

The staging is excellent, with a brilliantly constructed set from Tom Rogers, bringing the comic versions of Central Park Zoo and the land of Madagascar to life. The staging of the ship and the crates onboard is also excellently done. Unfortunately, the usual sound issues for a musical do occur with quite a lot of dialogue and lyrics lost to the music, particularly with a couple of the male performances early on.

This isn't a show that will win countless awards, but one that might inspire theatregoers of the future, much like a pantomime would. There is even a moment when Alex appears behind Marty when you can almost feel the young audience members itching to cry "he's behind you". So, from the perspective of creating a future for theatre, Madagascar the Musical is first-rate entertainment.

Lightweight family entertainment which is full of colour and energy.
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Performance reviewed: Thursday 18th July 2024 at the Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton.

Madagascar: The Musical is on stage at Royal & Derngate until Sunday 21st July 2024 before continuing its tour.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate and to book tickets see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Photos: Phil Tragen

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