The detailed craftsmanship and sheer scale throughout are staggering. Christopher Oram’s handsome design (reinforced by the Theatre Royal Drury Lane’s sumptuous £60m refurbishment) lends real majesty to the palace, with its huge casement windows. There’s something eye-catching in every scene, whether Nordic folk-inspired costumes, floating paper lanterns, a giant ice bridge sailing across the stage, or the wonder of the aurora borealis.
Jenna Lee-James, leading the current Frozen the Musical cast, brings a welcome complexity to the angsty Elsa. There’s a stronger sense of her being misunderstood, or misjudged because of her steely exterior. She begins Let It Go softly and gradually builds it to lung-busting jubilance, expressing giddy glee as she fully accepts herself.
Laura Dawkes, a recent drama school graduate, is an endearingly naïve and eccentric Anna. She retains a childlike physicality, hurling her arms out when making a point, but she’s also, well, hormone-driven: she clutches at Kristoff’s bulging bicep, growling “You’re strong”.
Jammy Kasongo brings charisma and a rich voice to Kristoff; I saw Ben Irish, as Hans, neatly subvert the classic Disney prince; and Richard Frame is a great boo-hiss villain as the misogynistic Weselton. But Craig Gallivan’s Olaf is the irresistible scene-stealer – that chirpy voice combined with the puppet’s slack jaw and bulging eyes is a riot.
Rob Ashford’s movement ranges from effective storytelling, as when the ocean-evoking ensemble folds in on a sinking ship, to bold surprises, like a chorus line of sauna-lovers in the Act II opener Hygge. It all adds up to pure West End spectacle, exactly what you want for a production likely to be many kids’ first experience of theatre, and told with a blazing passion that is surprisingly affecting. Some shows are worth melting for.
Currently booking to Jun 2, 2024