If I were to say that the SFX and technical aspects of this show were the undoubted star, I would not be lying. The show uses more than 20 plumes of CO2 along with goodness knows how much liquid nitrogen and evaporating snow; battery-powered scenery which seems to move around the stage unaided, a huge ice-chandelier (combining over 60 individual shards to create a dazzling effect), as well as some of the best CGI and swift changes on any stage, anywhere. Kristoff's sleigh which is chased by wolves and then descends over a precipice along with its occupants is a truly heart-in-the-mouth moment, but they are wearing harnesses and they fly, falling back to 'earth' in a brilliant imagined effect.
Surely we all know the story? (if not, where have you been living since 2013!) And if not, then it is based (albeit loosely) on Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Snow Queen'. Here, the stage version, which lasts just over one hour - exactly the right length of time for their target audience - sticks to the story like glue, and also the characters too. Each one seems to be a carbon-copy of the Disney film. This makes them very mono-dimensional, and gives them no individuality or room for characterisation development. I understand why Disney would want them to be identical to the cartoon feature film, but think that that is much harder for the performers and also more disappointing for the adults who watch. Although, saying all of that and there did seem to be more comedy in this stage version than I remember from the film.
The one thing which spoilt my visual enjoyment of this show was the video. Produced by LMG Videos, so am assuming that they had been given permission by the Disney Corporation to film and upload to YouTube; however it was one of the most amateurish videos I have ever had to watch. Shaking, hand-held, out-of-focus, and videoed from the very back of the auditorium and so we had backs of heads and audience (especially chuildren's) noises in the audial foreground. The videographer didn't even seem to know which part of the stage or on whom to focus half the time, even when zooming in. Awful!
This particular show (although I have no cast list sadly) was performed at The Hyperion Theater at Disney's California Adventure Park in 2016.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 6/6/20
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