美国国家公共电台 NPR Bold Experiment Turned Broadway Hit, 'Lion King' Continues To Thrill — And Heal

 

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Finally today, a bold theatrical¹ experiment turns 20.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CIRCLE OF LIFE")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGER #1: (Singing) Nants ingonyama bagithi baba.

UNIDENTIFIED SINGERS: (Singing) Sithi uhhmm ingonyama.

MARTIN: When director Julie Taymor was approached by Disney producer Thomas Schumacher to adapt the 1994 Disney film "The Lion King" for the Broadway stage, she'd never actually seen it.

JULIE TAYMOR: I said I hadn't seen the animated² film, and he laughed. And I saw it, and I saw it as a fun, interesting, giant challenge to bring into the stage.

MARTIN: She decided³ to draw on theatrical and puppetry traditions she'd studied from around the world. When the musical opened three years later, what had seemed a risky⁴ experiment quickly earned critical praise an even bigger box office success. Julie Taymor took home the first Tony Award given to a woman for directing a musical. She won another for the costumes. Twenty years later, "The Lion King" still holds its place atop the Broadway throne. At more than $1 billion in ticket sales, it remains⁵ the most successful show in Broadway history. It's been performed in 19 countries around the world.

As "The Lion King" celebrates its 20th anniversary, we thought this was a good time to check in with Julie Taymor, who's also in the middle of directing the first revival⁶ of another groundbreaking play, "M. Butterfly." We spoke⁷ with Julie Taymor a couple of days ago at her Manhattan apartment along with actress Lindiwe Dlamini, who's been a member of the ensemble⁸ cast for the entire run. I started our conversation by asking Julie Taymor when she first knew that "The Lion King" would be what she had hoped - something different, something special.

TAYMOR: Well, I mean, we all rehearsed two doors down at 890 Broadway. And we had four or five rooms - a room with the main acting⁹ room, then choreographic room and then a coral room and then a puppet room. And we all would be doing our work, but people would just start traveling and visiting between the rooms, and their mouths would be gasping¹⁰. You'd be gasping at Garth Fagan's choreography or the gorgeous choral singing from the - all the South Africans. And these giant puppets would be coming into our rooms.

And I think that we kind of knew then that this was something really special before an audience, just we, the people creating it, were very excited. And then we get to the first night, and the audience just instantly starts screaming and standing¹¹ and clapping, and we couldn't hear anything. And I burst into tears, as did everybody around me, Michel. And I don't know what it was like for you because you were in it, but - right? - going down the aisles¹².

LINDIWE DLAMINI: Yeah. It was crazy because after "Circle Of Life," I remember...

MARTIN: "Circle Of Life" being the amazing procession at the beginning where - people coming down the aisles, for the three people who have not yet seen it.

DLAMINI: So when the audience - you just had these screams like crazy. And when we got off the stage, I remember me and a few other girls that were in the show started just crying. Like, oh, my God, this is something else, you know. We knew then this was going to be a very amazing, amazing journey.

MARTIN: So, Lindiwe, pick up the thread from here. Now, you came to the U.S. initially¹³ from - first of all, you grew up under apartheid in South Africa.

DLAMINI: Yes, in South Africa, yeah.

MARTIN: And then you originally came here for "Sarafina," right?

DLAMINI: Yes. I grew up in South Africa, where we were not even allowed to perform in the theater. So when I was hired to do "Sarafina," it was very intense in South Africa because they had to hide what the script was about. So we had a script for when the soldiers come in or the police come inside the room where we rehearse. And immediately we go through that script because it was hidden what we were doing because we were not going to be allowed to leave the country. And sometimes we'd be in the room where you see the armored tanks. So while we were rehearsing and performing, they were outside monitoring us.

After that, I came here in America. And when the show went back to South Africa, I decided to stay. So I started going to auditions¹⁴ and couldn't get any roles or anything because there was nothing for somebody like me at that time. It was like '80s, '90s. And Julie called me that Julie was doing a reading for "The Lion King." And then I said, OK, finally, I made it. Finally, I'm going to be able to do something. And then I came in. I think I sat for Julie and very, very nerve wracking. So that's how I was able to get in.

MARTIN: "The Lion King" does have influences from all over the world, but as a South African, is there a particular resonance¹⁵ for you either with the style or the music or the story?

TAYMOR: Yeah. The story of "Lion King" itself, you know, connects with me because, you know, Simba is a young man who's trying to find himself. He goes - exile himself, you know, which is connected with us. Like, you know, we had people who left the country to go fight for our land. They left South Africa and came to America like Hugh Masekela, Miriam Makeba. All those artists too had a voice to be able to speak with a larger audience through music and singing. So it connects that way to me, you know.

And then you have loss, where I personally has lost family members while I'm in "The Lion King," especially when my father passed away because when I found out it was right before we go on stage. And then I said, OK, should I just leave or should I go on? I know he would want me to go on. And when you had this song, "He Lives In You," you know, even today, I still feel that way. You know, and...

TAYMOR: You both have that about you, "He Lives In You."

DLAMINI: Yes, "He Lives In You" is one of the songs that means so much to me. So I know it connects to the audience even for us personally.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HE LIVES IN YOU")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGER #2: (Singing) He lives in you. He lives in me. He watches over everything we see. Into the water, into the truth.

TAYMOR: There's so many parts of "The Lion King" that do so many things for people. So it's not just the entertainment value, this thing about "He Lives In You," the idea of "The Lion King" doing what theater originally was always meant to do which is, besides entertain, to heal. And I have had the experience in all the different countries that we've been able to have "The Lion King" of watching different aspects of the culture that comes to this play, that experiences it or that's in it go through this process. And it's an astounding¹⁶ thing to be a part of. So I only feel lucky. I feel tremendously lucky.

But also, one of the things that I'm most proud of is the whole racial aspect of "The Lion King" and that 20 years ago hadn't been done that way. When we did "Lion King" in Minneapolis, and I remember there were many black African-American families who came to see it, those children had never seen a king, a black king, on stage. There was no Obama. This was a time where, you know, the - that Scar's white and Mufasa is black and they're brothers. And yet, we very consciously cast "The Lion King" - and still do - in a very racial way. I mean, meaning it's not just open casting - it isn't. And it was a very clear intent and decision. "Lion King" has nothing to do with racism¹⁷. It's a bunch of animals onstage. You know, it's a fable¹⁸. But you aren't going to deny that the performers up there are who they are. So what was fascinating back then and moving to me was that for African-American audiences, it was all about race in a very proud, beautiful way - connecting to Africa without being directly a pickup¹⁹. But for white people, it had nothing to do with race. It wouldn't even occur to them because it was just a show.

MARTIN: Well, we are in a moment where these issues are once again at the forefront for some people, and for other people, not at all.

TAYMOR: Not at all, yeah.

MARTIN: And I wonder whether you feel the work has something different to say now than it did 20 years ago?

TAYMOR: No, I think it's saying it. And as we take it around to different countries, it's really fascinating to see how that plays out because humor - language-based humor is local. So every time we go to another country, we have to approach the performers and the writers and find out, what is the local humor? I mean, Timon and Pumbaa are Borscht Belt Jewish humor. You think that translates? No, it does not translate to other cultures. I think the most interesting Timon-Pumbaa story is the South African. There was an Afrikaners actor playing Pumbaa. And the only good actor for Timon was a black South African from Cape²⁰ Town.

So now you have a black Timon. Of course, he's green because you do understand the makeup²¹ is green. And Pumbaa is white and purple. But you know who's singing and performing, and the accents are very extreme. And any black South African hearing Afrikaners accent is going to have an instant feeling. So we have these two guys, and they're hilarious²² together. This was so new that these two characters all of a sudden had social relevance²³ because, in a subversive²⁴ way, what you're saying is they missed apartheid. They missed it. They're best friends. They weren't back there where all the trouble was. And so they're fine together.

And there were a number of different things in the South African "Lion King" that had incredible political power. So when people think of "The Lion King" in general, they think, oh, isn't that the sweetest, cutest? Oh, I loved it. My child loved it. Oh, I grew up a ba-ba-ba (ph). It had a much deeper resonance culturally, socially. And that's what really fuels my fire as a person. I just - I love what happens with that show all over the world because it becomes owned.

MARTIN: Julie Taymor is a Tony Award-winning director and writer, she's the director of "The Lion King" on Broadway, which will be celebrating 20 years of production early November. She's also the director of the revival of "M. Butterfly," which as we are speaking, opens this weekend. Julie Taymor, thank you so much for speaking with us. Also with us, Lindiwe...

DLAMINI: Dlamini.

MARTIN: Thank you.

DLAMINI: (Laughter).

MARTIN: ...Is a two-decade ensemble cast member who was also kind enough to join us here on her day of rest. Thank you so much for speaking with us.

TAYMOR: Thank you.

DLAMINI: Thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HE LIVES IN YOU")

UNIDENTIFIED SINGER #2: (Singing) He lives in you.

1 theatrical   

adj.剧场的，演戏的；做戏似的，做作的

参考例句：

• The final scene was dismayingly lacking in theatrical effect.最后一场缺乏戏剧效果，叫人失望。
• She always makes some theatrical gesture.她老在做些夸张的手势。

2 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 revival   

n.复兴，复苏，（精力、活力等的）重振

参考例句：

• The period saw a great revival in the wine trade.这一时期葡萄酒业出现了很大的复苏。
• He claimed the housing market was showing signs of a revival.他指出房地产市场正出现复苏的迹象。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 ensemble   

n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果

参考例句：

• We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
• It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐，每人担任一部分。

9 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

10 gasping   

adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was gasping for breath. 他在喘气。
• "Did you need a drink?""Yes, I'm gasping!” “你要喝点什么吗？”“我巴不得能喝点！”

11 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

12 aisles   

n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊

参考例句：

• Aisles were added to the original Saxon building in the Norman period. 在诺曼时期，原来的萨克森风格的建筑物都增添了走廊。
• They walked about the Abbey aisles, and presently sat down. 他们走到大教堂的走廊附近，并且很快就坐了下来。

13 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

14 auditions   

n.（对拟做演员、歌手、乐师等人的）试听，试音( audition的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Find modeling auditions, casting calls& acting auditions, all in one place. 找一个立体感试听，铸造呼叫和表演试听一体的地方。 来自互联网
• We are now about to start auditions to find a touring guitarist. 我们现在准备找一个新的吉他手。 来自互联网

15 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

16 astounding   

adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词)

参考例句：

• There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
• The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 racism   

n.民族主义；种族歧视(意识)

参考例句：

• He said that racism is endemic in this country.他说种族主义在该国很普遍。
• Racism causes political instability and violence.种族主义道致政治动荡和暴力事件。

18 fable   

n.寓言；童话；神话

参考例句：

• The fable is given on the next page. 这篇寓言登在下一页上。
• He had some motive in telling this fable. 他讲这寓言故事是有用意的。

19 pickup   

n.拾起，获得

参考例句：

• I would love to trade this car for a pickup truck.我愿意用这辆汽车换一辆小型轻便卡车。||The luck guy is a choice pickup for the girls.那位幸运的男孩是女孩子们想勾搭上的人。

20 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

21 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

22 hilarious   

adj.充满笑声的，欢闹的；[反]depressed

参考例句：

• The party got quite hilarious after they brought more wine.在他们又拿来更多的酒之后，派对变得更加热闹起来。
• We stop laughing because the show was so hilarious.我们笑个不停，因为那个节目太搞笑了。

23 relevance   

n.中肯，适当，关联，相关性

参考例句：

• Politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public roles.政治家的私生活与他们的公众角色不相关。
• Her ideas have lost all relevance to the modern world.她的想法与现代社会完全脱节。

24 subversive   

adj.颠覆性的，破坏性的；n.破坏份子，危险份子

参考例句：

• She was seen as a potentially subversive within the party.她被看成党内潜在的颠覆分子。
• The police is investigating subversive group in the student organization.警方正调查学生组织中的搞颠覆阴谋的集团。