Frozen the Musical Adelaide Review
Frozen the Musical has arrived in Adelaide and it’s a huge thrill to welcome this world class Broadway musical production to our city.
The stage production is of course adapted from the much loved movie Frozen which was released in 2013. Maybe you’ve watched it a hundred times with your children since then; or like my daughter, who was 8 yrs old at the time, you know every song and every bit of the movie by heart; or perhaps you haven’t seen the movie at all. It actually doesn’t matter – whether you love the movie or just love musicals, you are bound to enjoy this spectacular show.
The child actors who play little Elsa and Anna are delightful, played by Amya Mollison and Hunter Ribeiro on premiere night. There are actually eight children who take turns playing the roles and no doubt they would all do justice to their parts, especially with their sweet rendition of ‘Do You Want To Build A Snowman?’.
As you can imagine, there is enormous pressure on Jemma Rix, as the adult Elsa, to perform the Frozen anthem ‘Let it Go’, and with the audience spellbound, she does not disappoint. The huge hit song demands a powerhouse voice and Jemma nails it, complete with a spectacular costume change in which you really can’t believe your eyes, and touches of Disney magic all over the stage. I’ve watched the musical twice now, the first time in Sydney, (2021) and that transformation is literally a blink of the eye and is totally enchanting each time. Rix is convincing in her Snow Queen portrayal and her voice is superb.
Courtney Monsma as Anna is the one who totally captures the essence of the Disney animated character as if she popped straight out of the film and onto the stage. Her expressions, mannerisms, that loveable quirkiness, comedic timing and magnetic personality, are a delight to watch, while her singing is on point. Anna’s sadness is heartfelt while her excitement and happiness are infectious. Monsma makes Anna truly come alive, and effortlessly creates a depth to this much loved character that sparkles on stage.
To be honest, at first, when I realised that Olaf was not going to be an actor in a costume and instead would be a puppet, I was worried it would not be convincing. However, Matt Lee adds the most wonderful extension to Olaf’s character with expressions that give Olaf so much life and dimension. It’s actually a genius way to give a snowman the personality we are familiar with onscreen.
Thomas McGuane as Hans and Sean Sinclair as Kristoff are a great support to the sisters. All the favourite songs appear such as Do You Want To Build A Snowman?, For The First Time In Forever and Love Is An Open Door, plus there are additional songs written especially for the musical.
The lighting and sets are important elements in this production and they spectacularly transform the stage from ballroom to the icy winter scenes and Elsa’s dazzling ice castle. Stunning special effects create the Disney magic and the amazing costumes, fantastic choreography, talented ensemble and orchestra make the whole story come alive.
Don’t let this one go. Frozen the Musical is a must see theatrical experience which will dazzle you with its Disney magic and leave you feeling wrapped in a warm hug.
Is Frozen the Musical show suitable for little kids?
Be aware that it has a running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes (with a 20 minute interval). Therefore they do not recommend it for ages under 4 years old. It’s a long time for little ones to sit through. At our performance, there were 2 littlies seated in front of us and they struggled to keep their attention for the whole show. If you’re having to attend to your child it may mean you don’t get to enjoy the show fully yourself either.
Tip: for the full experience, if you possibly can, get seats in the Stalls no further than about row R.
Read more about Frozen the Musical here
For more information and all enquiries please visit the Frozen the Musical website
What: Frozen – The Musical
When: 26 May – 10 July 2022
Where: Adelaide Festival Centre, King William Rd, Adelaide
Who: Ages 5 and up.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
Image Source: supplied – photo credit Lisa Tomasetti
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