NEW YORK—When Elsa (Caissie Levy), the newly crowned Queen of Arendelle, sings “Let It Go” at the close of Act 1 of “Frozen,” the Broadway adaptation of the Disney-animated film, every element of the production comes together in a wonderful montage of sight, sound, and special effects; the audience is totally enveloped in the story. Sadly, such moments are few and far between.
Those involved in the creative process, including book writer Jennifer Lee, who adapted her film script for the stage, as well as director Michael Grandage, were unable to make the story fully come alive in this different medium. The new material added for the stage is not as seamlessly integrated into the plot as it needs to be. And while the youngsters in the audience certainly found it enjoyable (the show’s name recognition alone and massive marketing push make it critic-proof), the result is disappointing.
