If anyone were to think that a show on board a cruise liner would be sub-standard, then think again. I have never travelled / holidayed in such a luxurious way, and have therefore never seen a show live. I have however, been given the opportunity of covering this Disney Musical which was filmed in 2017 in front of a live audience whilst sailing the high seas, on board The Disney Magic. The production values and the standard of the cast were both first class and certainly equal to those of a Number 1 National Tour troupe.
Tangled is Disney's latest take on the Rapunzel story. It's given a bit of a Wild West workout as the rugged and handsome hero to save the princess in the tower is Flynn Rider, a 'wanted man'. Otherwise the story remains very much the same as the familiar Rapunzel legend, except here we have a horse, called Maximus, and he pretty much steals every scene he is in!
The staging is clever - despite the small stage -but there are trap doors and hydraulics, and they use the sides and coming through the audience too to good effect. And although the characterisations are supposed to be cardboard-cut-outs, they still manage to engage superbly with the audience and there is real chemistry in this truly ensemble cast. They are also excellent singers too. Quite eerily the actress who played the Witch - or in Tangled she is called Mother Gothel - resembled the cartoon so much! And despite Rapunzel and Flynn being excellent all-rounders with bags of energy and pizzazz, it was the comedy horse which stole my heart! An excellent puppet made so that only one person needed to operate it. A fibre-glass neck and head were used in front of the operator who stood upright and formed the front legs, whilst a second fibre-glass structure went behind him with the second legs which almost, but not quite touching the grtound. Very clever.
With a cast of 20! (on a cruise ship... I'll let that sink in.. if you'll pardon the terrible pun!), this was a high-jinx, humorous, entertaining, and superb family-friendly show. Perfect and totally harmless family adventure Musical story full of fun and the feel-good factor, great catchy music, and a horse!
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 1/6/20
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