From the moment you enter the theatre, Madagascar promises to be a colourful cavalcade of fun. The design is big, bold and beautiful – capturing the bright energy of the movie as though the set and costumes had been pulled straight from the screen.
Matt Terry, as Alex, really shines. His voice is wonderfully strong with a flourish of falsetto the vocal highlight of several songs. He brings great energy to the lovably egotistic showbiz lion. Gloria, played by Timmika Ramsay, is equal parts diva and matriarch as she looks out for her boys and an audience favourite as she ‘boom-booms’ her way through what must be an extremely hot show for her in her costume.
Jamie Lee-Morgan’s hypochon-giraffe Melman adds a bucket of amusing neurosis to the principal cast and all-rapping, all-dancing Antoine Murray-Straughn’s Marty drives the plot with confidence. The ensemble, who play everything else from lemurs to penguins, really shine leaping from puppetry to keeper without hesitation and keep the world of the show alive with a great amount of bubbly energy.
A special mention must go to Jo Parsons, who steals the show as the beloved King Julien leading the cast in the musical highlight of the night ‘Move It’.
At a compact 100 minutes (interval included), Madagascar – The Musical has the feeling of a show that has been written to highlight your favourite moments from the film but Selladoor and their incredible cast mount it with more punch and pizzazz than you could possibly hope to shake a seaweed on a stick at.
Review by Ben Powell
Join Alex (X-Factor 2016 winner Matt Terry), Marty, Melman and Gloria as they bound out of the zoo and onto the stage in Madagascar The Musical.
This smash hit musical features all of your favourite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar.
This brand new musical from Dreamworks (Shrek The Musical) will leave audiences with no choice but to ‘move it, move it’!
Suitable for ages 5+.
Running time: The running time will be added as soon as it is confirmed.
Madagascar The Musical
Touring Production
21st-28th July 2018
New Wimbledon Theatre
31st July-4th August 2018
New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
7th-11th August 2018
King’s Theatre Glasgow
14th-18th August 2018
Palace Theatre, Manchester
28th August -1st September 2018
Sunderland Empire
2nd-6th October 2018
Edinburgh Playhouse
9th-13th October 2018
Bristol Hippodrome
4th-8th December 2018
Theatre Royal Brighton
5th-9th February 2019
Liverpool Empire
12th-16th March 2019
New Victoria Theatre, Woking
