There’s a moment in the 1998 film “The Prince of Egypt” that’s difficult to forget; Moses, unmoored by the recent discovery of his Hebrew heritage, tries to stop an Egyptian guard from beating an older slave. When he accidentally kills the guard, he flees into the desert in shame.
The musical version of the film – which adapts the book of Exodus and chronicles Moses’s journey from being a prince of Egypt to leading the Hebrews out of Egypt – premiered in the West End in 2020, and shows this moment unfold with technical mastery and flair. Moses runs up the stairs to meet the guard and they struggle over the whip. When then the guard begins to fall backwards, Moses grabs him by the hand before he slips out of his grasp. The lights flicker and the guard begins to fall slowly, almost with a backwards running motion. He’s seemingly connected to some sort of mechanism, but you can’t see the connector in question. You’re left a little flabbergasted at the effect, wondering how in the world they pulled it off.
There’s a lot of that feeling to go around in “The Prince of Egypt: Live from the West End,” which is playing at this year’s Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. For fans of the Dreamworks film, the new music – from original composer Stephen Schwartz – might be a bit of a let down, never quite reaching the highs of songs such as “When You Believe.” But the raw talent and physical expression onstage is enough to make this proshot musical worth the price of admission.
It can be difficult to capture the kinetic energy of a live performance with a filmed version. There are standouts, of course, such as Spike Lee’s 2009 recording of the rock musical “Passing Strange.” “The Prince of Egypt” never quite hits the highs of that film, but the camera’s movements do match the production’s intensity and propulsion, feeling like a character rather than a passive observer. The camera’s dynamism reflects the dancer’s vigor along with the constant motion of the set – and the uniquely gorgeous combination when both work in tandem.
The way “The Prince of Egypt” uses movement to set the scene is evident from the jump – when Moses’s mother sends him in a basket down the Nile, blue light flickers along the bottom of the stage as the ensemble brings the river to life. Dancers pirouette and leap across the stage, passing the basket between them as they recreate the rapids of the water. When Moses (Luke Brady) and Rameses (Liam Tamne) race their chariots through the city streets, the ensemble transforms into the chariots, the horses, and the wind all at once, hoisting the two actors up high and whipping their cloaks behind them. This sort of physical ingenuity is present throughout the show’s entirety.
The songs you remember from the animated film are present and as wonderful as ever – as Moses, Luke Brady delivers a stunning rendition of “All I Ever Wanted” – but most of the new songs added to the show leave a little to be desired. Good performances all around do a lot to make up for that fact, with Brady leading the charge. The actor delivers a strong-willed, charismatic performance, effortlessly transforming from an impetuous prince of Egypt to a natural born leader.
“The Prince of Egypt: Live from the West End” is playing at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Feb. 16 and Feb. 19.
