See the stage show of the famous animated film close up and in your own home!Summary
Rating
Good!
Frozen, the animated film of Anna’s quest to find her sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the city of Arendell in an eternal winter, is a firm family favourite. After huge success it was re-imagined as a musical and premiered on Broadway in 2018, subsequently opening in London in 2021. Now Disney + is releasing a recording of the show filmed at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane in 2024. But is the film worth seeing?
If you are a fan of Frozen, then 100% yes. It is not perfect, suffering the same flaws as the animated film, such as a slightly two-dimensional Elsa. And no stage wizardry, however sophisticated, is a match for the glorious animation of ice castles, magic fractals and frozen monsters in the animated original. But the depiction of the two sisters’ relationship – particularly as children – is charming. Clever staging and a good use of the ensemble cast bring to life the drama of the parents’ shipwreck, and the agony of the moment that Anna is frozen. Olaf, the singing snowman, is successfully rendered through puppetry. Elsa’s famous on-stage dress change is a thing to behold and will get many people racing for their remotes to freeze frame the film to see how it’s done on stage.
The stage show has extra songs, ‘Hygge’ being the best of them, but none of them come close to the original songs like ‘Let it Go’, ‘Love is an Open Door’ and ‘Do you Want to Build a Snowman?’ It also does well to remain pretty faithful to some of the best bits of the animated film. The cast for the recording of the musical is strong. Samantha Barks as Elsa sings beautifully and does her best to inject some personality into a part that’s always been a bit underwritten. The standout star is Laura Dawkes, who manages to capture some of the charismatic childish charm of the adventurous, spurned younger sister, Anna. Jammy Kasango as Kristoff, Craig Gallivan as Olaf and Oliver Ormson as the smarmy Hans offer strong support.
Unless you have the opportunity to sit in the front few rows of the stalls in the theatre, you don’t generally get to see much detail of the actors’ facial expressions. This film of the live show is the antidote to that, with ample opportunity and use of close-ups. There’s a careful balance to strike between exploring the possibilities for these tight camera shots, lingering on the minute details of the staging, and detracting from the narrative and the feel of a full chorus show. At times, I wanted less of Elsa’s face and more of the wider stage. But it definitely adds something that you don’t get in the theatre itself.The film is aimed at Frozen fans who will be enchanted to see their favourite animated film in a new incarnation. It’s a more adult take on the tale, fleshed out with more backstory and characterisation. This is a fun watch, especially for live theatre fans who can’t afford the high prices that some musicals command, and it’s a joy to be front and centre of the stalls in your own home. The film is a welcome addition to the Frozen franchise. But if you’re new to Frozen, my advice would be to start with the original, which will never fail to warm even the coldest of hearts.
Presented by Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Disney Theatrical Group
Under the direction of Andrew Flatt, Thomas Schumacher & Anne Quart
Music & Lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
Book by Jennifer Lee
Produced for the Stage by Thomas Schumacher & Anne Quart
Produced for the Screen by Natalie Daniels-Browne & Brett Sullivan
Frozen The Musical streams on Disney+ from June 20th
