Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • 38

1-C I) 0 1 PRESS WEEKEND FRIDAY, A I' I 2 8, 2000 rn i LION KING' a a tn r- Dazzling show is worth a 1011)1110 Ull.) 1 fe- -J I If St i There are danccr-puppctccrs, each making three gazelles leap at once. There's a see-through elephant with tw pecp'e Inside. v'i-lhlhr rt: I i i'j at lisA of Fcrd: see and From lne 1C liavi been sold already, enough to fill the theater 250 that's, a spokesperson said, ith 15 permit of ticket buyers coming from Michigan; (D) Toronto is the city where "The Phantom of the Opera" ran for 10 years at a playhouse where patrons who sat in the last rows of the orchestra, underneath the balcony, couldn't even see the accursed chandelier despite having paid (Canadian) for the privilege, not that anyone is still bitter about it or anything. No such misfortune exists at "The Lion King," which, besides being terrific, makes the audience feel included. Actors in breathtaking animal costumes parade down the aisles to begin the show, while other costumed performers call and respond from the balconies.

The second act's opening fills the theater with colorful birds swooping and soaring from ends of enormous, swaying poles. And we haven't even gotten to what happens onstage in director Julie Taymor's inspired reimagin-ing of an animated film that was made. Rafiki, a male character in the movie, is now female and she sings. She is played here by Phinda Mtya, a warmly charismatic presence and a powerful singer. Her funeral chant for Mufasa is stirring and she speaks most of her lines in the click-rich Zulu language that non-Zulus find astonishing.

(People in Africa were double-clicking long before there were computers.) But the major change is that Scar has become the most significant character, with more scenes and songs (and his usual complement of hench-hyenas). At one point he attempts to hit on Nala (who will have none if it), proclaiming how it "is written in the stars We'll create a host of little Scars." This is startlingly reminiscent of a scenario in "The Tempest" in which Caliban goes after Miranda, vowing to "people the world with Calibans." (Taymor, a veteran Shakespearean, once directed "The There are no giraffes in Shakespeare, though, and there are giraffes aplenty in "The Lion King," some giraffes on stilts, some giraffes two stories tall who bend almost into the audience. There are dancer-puppeteers, each making three gazelles leap at once (one on the head, one on each arm). There's a see-through elephant with two people inside its hide. Ensemble members also become, as called for, a grassy field, a pack of hyenas, zebras, antelopes and a thundering stampede of wildebeests.

How they all come together to create Mufasa's heavenly spirit is just short of miraculous. More down to earth but no loss impressive are Richard McMillan reaching the pinnacle of disdain as Scar; Jeffrey Kuhn's deft acting and puppeteering as Zazu the bird; Jonathan Wilson and Mark Terene's droll teamwork as Timon and Pumbaa; Saskia Garel's fine singing as the adult Nala and Steven Allerick's dramatic dancing as the adult Simba. If there has ever been anything more glorious to behold on a stage than "The Lion King," I will eat my souvenir soft figure of Pumbaa the warthog, tusks and all. Contact MARTIN F. KOHN at 813-222-0517 or mflwlmaol.com.

wonderful to begin with. In fact, if you've only seen the movie you haven't seen "The Lion King." The story is essentially the same: Evil Scar kills his brother, Mufasa, the rightful king of beasts, and usurps his throne. Little Simba, Mufasa's son, blames himself and runs away. Far from home he is befriended by Timon, the meerkat, and Pumbaa, the warthog (the one with the gas problem), who introduce him to the carefree insectivorous yet life. Ultimately, urged on by his old friend Nalaand Rafiki, the wise baboon, the grown-up Simba returns home to face his destiny.

A few alterations have been I yzusia' UiB newest energy-saving created by Ford Mutor Company. TluI ivi3 tha r.zM Ford Ranger and rip rijjlit pnut fccr3 high-priced pumps. Got thfl J. cl a natural gas police car a. cl fuel vehicles.

into a tarcrixig recycling pile of cur parts and a new creation to take home! Get you niind rewin' at Spirit of Ford every weekend through the end of April. 'FREQUENCY' I lime is of the essence 'TV fi TjTtf Ti l-jfe SPIRIT OF FORD 1151 Village Road, Dearborn, Ml Across from Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village 313.31.SPIBIT www. spiritofford.com er side, but from 1909. Writer Toby Emmerich wisely dispenses with a lot of explanation; he gets right to John's immediate problem, which is preventing Frank's death in that warehouse fire the very next day. Ingeniously weaving the details of the Mets' first meeting with Baltimore into the solution, Emmerich and director Gregory Hoblit establish that every event from this point on is to be miraculous but that even miracles carry consequences.

Our immediate concern is that "Frequency," with its "what if" theme, will turn out to be little more than an extended episode of "The Twilight Zone," and those fears seem founded when it is discovered that by cheating death, Frank has changed history. The past, even the good parts, has been altered in significant ways. But like "The Sixth Sense," "Frequency" does a good job of compelling us to suspend disbelief and cynicism mostly by investing us in the characters. From Page 1C remembers the pain of losing his dad, when he was only 6, in a fire. John, separated from a girlfriend who can no longer abide his moods and drinking, is living in his parents' old house in Queens, next door to his best childhood pal, Gordo (Noah Emmerich), and reporting to his father's best friend, Satch DeLeon (Andre Braugher), who assigns him to a murder that occurred 30 years before, the year his dad died.

John isn't living in the past; he's dying in it. Then Gordo's son unearths his dad's old ham radio, which none of them can make work. Fate intervenes in a freak aurora borealis storm, which not only lights up the radio's tubes, it connects John to a voice in the night. It's someone who also lives in Queens, someone concerned with the hometown team's chances in the impending World Series; It's John's father, Frank (Dennis Quaid), speaking not from the oth "Frequency" still gets pretty staticky in its last third, where it becomes far more entwined in a tired serial killer plot than its mid-movie emotional twist really deserves. The resolution, too, is convoluted and convenient, but there's so much to enjoy about the film that one is inclined to forgive it the healing power of reconciliation has that effect.

It helps, too, that TV veteran Hoblit is an economical director. He keeps "Frequency" moving speedily and confidently enough to cover the pauses in logic. He also has assembled a fine cast. Caviezel solidifies the brooding but interesting impression he made in "'The Thin Red Line," while Quaid has his best role in a long time as the blue-collar dad who loves the Mets, his son, his wife (Elizabeth Mitchell) and his best pal, not necessarily in that order. That's a guy worth bringing back.

Contact TERRY LAWSON at 313-223-4524 or lawsoiniifreepress.com II Pays lb Pby At MotorCity Casino. Did you know that you are one pby away from winning I JOIN THE TIGERS AS THEY CElEDtiflTE 3 million dollars? MotorCity Millionaires is 17 fir? j- friTi the promotion that randomly selects one lucky slot player 1 Sunday, April 30 vs White Sox 12 noon ceremony featuring Sparky Anderson to win a million dollars. rT You don't have to play with a special coin or play 0 ii ii "ii -i i on a special machine ail you have to do to win is play. It's just that simple. FREE Lit ti PCSTE3 TO TS'E 10.CC3 FAJiS! StrkyAnd(r7n I.

rinn?" VlolorCiiy fviiuionaircs A'l you have to do to is by! -'1 Fri April 28 7:05 Sat April 29 1:05 '35 World Series Lapel Pin' (Motor City Casino) Sun April 30 1.05 Sparky Anderson Tribute Poster1 (Metro Detroit hrd Dealers! 'first I0.CC0 fans 21 and over 'First IO.0C0 fans I 3 LJ casino lor rnoie iiifoinuilion, us at www.iiioloiciiycrisino.com or c.ill 1 7 7 -7 7 7 0711. for tiskots call tidcet ttrtas tar YOU'LL LOVE PLAYING HERE 'Million dolLns p.iid out over twenty years. Motorf rly Casino fiiitl llie Moloirity Casino I olio aic Ifaderiiaiks ol t'tlroit tiilerljinmenl. I I 200(1 Dflioll I nleit.llnmeilt. Ct All ilfjm feseived.

If ynu bet mure rhin ytm tan aldinl 10 lose, ynu've got prolilem. Call I-H00-27U-7I 7 I'M tonfiJenti.il help. www.detrolttigen.com i 313-222-6802,.