Mention Disney to any youngsters, or any grown-ups for that matter, and you can expect to see their eyes light up with glee. The loveable Mickey Mouse and his friends have long been firm favourites throughout the decades.
If Disney Live! Mickey's Rockin' Road Show staged last month at Hong Kong's Kitec Star Hall was anything to go by, Thailand is set for a school break full of delight.
As the title suggests, this touring stage show features Mickey Mouse on a rocky journey with his buddies Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. But this is not an ordinary trip _ it comes with a mission, which is the start of the excitement that keeps everyone joyful throughout the journey.
Mickey and his pals decide to put on a talent show, with Mickey as the director, Minnie as the costume designer, Goofy as the clumsy stagehand and Donald in charge of the big Ka-Pow!
Realising they need more performers, they embark on a road trip in Mickey's fantastical bus, where they have a series of misadventures and eventually round up a few friends to help put on their show.
The plot sounds predictable, but what the audience doesn't know is when and how all the fun tricks will play out. First of all, there is a funny looking bus boasting unusual gadgets for the unexpected adventure. The hot air balloon in the roof enables the vehicle to get over a mountain, and a switch transforms it into a submarine ready to roll into the ocean.
There is a giant projection screen on which the animated video establishes the scenic environments of each destination. The digital video images render it a truly visual experience, creating the illusion that the bus is travelling. It's fun to see the jolly riders cruising up and down hills and around curves, diving underwater and floating through the clouds.
What I think makes the show most interesting is the way it allows the audience to enjoy each character. Along the journey, Mickey and his gang come across unlikely friends, and none of them hesitate to show off their talents.
Woody, the cowboy from Toy Story, wows the audience with his precise lassoing skills, while Buzz Lightyear captures all eyes with his juggling act. Then the beautiful Cinderella hits her high notes in a few songs including, of course, So This Is Love.
The character who got the most attention from the young Hong Kong crowd was Tigger from Winnie The Pooh. He peeks his smiley face out to greet people from every corner of the stage before throwing himself down from up high on his tire swing, rocking back and forth amid the loud cheers and laughs from his young fans. His dancing episode also makes everyone stand up and bounce gaily in tandem with the hip tunes.
The finale is one of the most impressive parts of the show as every one of the colourful cartoon characters parades on stage to sing and dance together. Then comes the confetti dropping on us to hint that the 90-minute party will soon be over.
Some might complain they don't see as many characters as they expected in this show, but I don't think that really matters, as the current cast does so well to engage us to interact with them in nearly every scene and, of course, make us completely forget about the time.
Even though I'm not a big fan of Disney cartoons, I can't deny that seeing those characters performing live on stage is much more fun than watching them in movies.
The confetti was still scattering everywhere on the floor and I saw two little blonde girls enjoying scooping as much as possible into their little buckets before dancing behind their mothers out of the hall. They never stopped smiling and laughing along the way. I can imagine similar scenarios when the show visits Bangkok next month.
The 'Disney Live! Mickey's Rockin' Road Show' will be staged at Impact Exhibition Hall 2, Muang Thong Thani from Oct 18-21.
The show time is 3pm and 7pm daily, plus a 11am matinee on weekends. Tickets start at 900 baht from Thai Ticket Major booths.
Call 02-262-3838 or visit www.thaiticketmajor.com.
