I love a good musical; the singing, dancing, colorful costumes, impressive sets and the energetic buzz of the theatre. This November, I was due to see Frozen The Musical in London’s West End, but like so many others, such plans (rightly so) have sadly been put on hold. Howver, this did get me thinking about musicals that I would like to see if there were no limits. One of the first to spring to mind was a Zelda musical based on Breath of the Wild. I think the idea has wings but the debate still remains. Would you actually like to see a Zelda musical?

Zelda content creators have been composing songs and filming parodies about the games for years. At conventions, fans in cosplay have acted out their own set-pieces to entertain audiences using in-game jokes and material they have written themselves. Some have gone even further, performing entire stage shows for charity with events based on Ocarina of Time. And this is fine, but when it comes to adapting a video game for an official stage production, that is a gigantic leap! Can it actually be done?

One video game turned musical that has managed success in Japan is Gyakuten Saiban or Ace Attorney in the west.  Back in 2009, Capcom and theatre troupe Takarazuka Revue ran the musical for one month to sell-out crowds. It did change some elements from the original game, for example, Phoenix Wright owning his own firm from the get-go. Overall it was very popular and spawned at least two further musicals.

So, what about a Zelda musical? Breath of the Wild has characters that I feel would be entertaining to an audience. The story would need a few tweaks to avoid pacing issues though. I can picture Mipha singing a love song behind a gorgeous backdrop of Zora’s Domain or Daruk with a stomping upbeat number with his Goron brothers. Would Link sing? That is a tough one. It would make sense for him not to, seeing as he hardly engages in conversation as it is! But a single solo, with Link expressing the pressures of being a hero, plus the horror of finding out the fate of the Champions is worth considering. Would I like to see a full-scale battle with Calamity Ganon on stage? Yes, the lighting crew and special effects department would have a field day! Would I like to hear a live orchestra playing the Hyrule Castle theme? Yes, it would send chills down my spine. Would I like to watch an hour of a silent Link exploring the wild and shooting animals? Ah, that might not translate as well…

So, would you like to see a Zelda musical? Maybe a different Zelda game would lend itself better to live theatre? Or would turning The Legend of Zelda into any form of theatre be nothing more than a death sentence? Whatever your thoughts on this debate, remember to comment below!

Featured art: Xelgot

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