Theatre Review: The Prince of Egypt - Dominion Theatre, London ✭✭✭

The Prince of Egypt

Photo by Tristram Kenton

Dominion Theatre London

Review by Emma Curry

26th February 2020: The Prince of Egypt is a musical that is new to the West End – the production is based on the 1998 DreamWorks animated film, with an entirely reworked score and ten brand new songs. The story follows the plot of the movie closely, beginning with charting Moses’s youth growing up in the palace with his brother Ramses, to his discovery that he is Hebrew and was adopted by the Pharaoh's wife Queen Tuya as a baby.

The biggest struggle for any new musical is to get the songs right – if the music works then the rest of the production will fit around it. Unfortunately in this show the new songs just aren’t memorable enough – the film’s original soundtrack song ‘When You Believe’ is a real strength, and there’s a stunning solo from Tanisha Spring as Nefertari called ‘Heartless’, in which she mourns the death of her young son, but otherwise many of the songs seem too similar to really stand out. The script is also equally uneven: there are some pantomime-esque comic moments that seem a little at odds with the grand, epic scale of the story.

Photo by Matt Crockett

On the other hand, one of the highlights of this show is the cast – they are all extremely committed to the show and to their roles, and help to energise the material. Special mention should go to Alexia Khadime, who has a truly stunning voice and brings real heart and passion to the role of Moses’s sister Miriam. Luke Brady and Liam Tamne create a believable brotherly bond as Moses and Ramses respectively, and Gary Wilmot brings a kind and comic energy to the character of Jethro.

The production is also visually stunning – several of the key scenes such as the burning bush and the river of blood are recreated with members of the ensemble, and the parting of the Red Sea is a particularly impressive moment. The dance element of the show is very strong, and none of the ensemble missed a beat in some extremely complicated routines.

If you’re looking for a new soundtrack that you can play on repeat to replace Hamilton then this might not be the show for you. However, there was an excellent and lively atmosphere in the performance I saw and the audience certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. If you’re a fan of the original film and looking for a fun evening out with some fantastic dancing and excellent special effects, this show is definitely worth a look.

3 stars ✭✭✭

LISTINGS INFORMATION

THE PRINCE OF EGYPT – A NEW MUSICAL

DOMINION THEATRE

268-269 TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD

LONDON W1T 7AQ

The theatre is adjacent to Tottenham Court Road Underground Station.

BOOKING:

www.ThePrinceOfEgyptMusical.com

Telephone bookings: 0345 200 7982 (or +44 161 876 2405 if dialling from outside the UK).

Operated by Quay Tickets, 9am-9pm, 7 days a week. No booking fees online, by telephone or in person.

£2.50 transaction charge for online and telephone bookings.