The animated 2005 smash-hit film Madagascar has been brought to life in an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza for the stage. Condensed into two 45 minute acts of pure joy, it’s terrific production perfect for the whole family with the characters we all know and love.
Selladoor’s production is light and frothy as it uses superb puppetry to create the lovable characters that venture from Central Park Zoo to the island of Madagascar on an adventure. Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo are
Matt Terry leads the cast as the courageous Alex the Lion and he brings heaps of energy alongside his smashing vocals. Riffing and belting the vibrant musical numbers, Terry brings real talent to this production with his effortlessly sublime voice. Similarly, Timmika Ramsay certainly has some pipes as the sassy Hippo Gloria who brings real soul to the musical numbers.
It wouldn’t be Madagascar if the cast didn’t know how to ‘move it, move it’ and Fabian Aloise’s choreography is cool, playful and charismatic. Throwing in the dance moves that has all the kids in hysterics, the flossing and dabbing is intertwined into some really slick movement. Antoine Murray-Straughan has super slick moves as Marty the Zebra as he brings real flavour to this lively role.
Although Jamie Lee-Morgan is fantastically funny as hypochondriac Melman the Giraffe, it’s Jo Parsons that steals the show in the second act as King Julian. His comedy timing is exceptional and he had both the kids and parents roaring with laughter.
Puppet Designer Max Humphries has outdone himself with the puppets that both have that animated feel yet move with real authenticity. For a delightfully compact show, they don’t hold back on the visuals as Tom Rogers’ design encapsulates all the well-known attributes of the film and creates a spectacular set. With the wooden crates outlining the stage, we are transformed into the streets of New York and the jungle of Madagascar in the most imaginative yet simple way.
Madagascar is a ferociously fun production that boasts both a stellar cast and high-quality production values for a show perfect for the whole family.
On at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre until the 11th of May, Madagascar is currently on tour across the UK.
