Indianapolis, Indiana
Photos by Laura Fox
Review by Dave Fox
I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I sat down to see “Our Planet Live in Concert” at The Murat Theatre at Old National Centre on April 8. I knew it contained footage from the popular Netflix Series,” Our Planet,” and I knew there would be a live orchestra on stage, but that was about it.
What I got was a two-hour nature documentary with stunning cinematography, beautiful music, and a powerful message.
The 18-piece orchestra, led by conductor Emily Marshall, took the stage quietly before the start of the film. The original score was timed and executed flawlessly throughout the production. Grand, sweeping movements accompanied shots of eagles flying, while a quirky, syncopated ditty emphasized the odd movements of cute little birds. The stage lighting was also timed perfectly, with bold lights highlighting especially exciting sections.
“Our Planet Live in Concert” is narrated by Sir David Attenborough, with special commentary by William Shatner. Four years in the making, it features all the major habitats on earth, (oceans, grasslands, etc.) and a wide selection of creatures. Special emphasis is placed on the polar regions and the ice loss in those areas. There was quite a bit of footage of icebergs crashing into the sea; although it was dramatic (especially on the large screen), I felt there was too much time spent on that. I also found the message to be a little heavy-handed; I think they could have made their point in a more subtle and less preachy way. And after stirring everyone's emotions, I was disappointed there was no call to action, and nothing that indicated what the Netflix folks were doing about it.
Fortunately, all the sadness was in the middle of the show, and the mood lightened up toward the end of the show. The final sequence of the elaborate courtship dance of the parotia bird of paradise, along with Attenborough's droll narration, had the audience chuckling, and led to a standing ovation.
To sum things up, "Our Planet Live" was enjoyable, entertaining, and educational. The current run ends at the end of this month; here’s where you can get tickets: