'FAR TOO MUCH TO TAKE IN HERE'.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

Among the first song lyrics audiences hear during the opening number of Disney's ``The Lion King'' is the line, ``There is more to see than can ever be seen.'' It's followed, one verse later, by the line, ``There is far too much to take in here.''

At the Pantages Theatre, truer words were never crooned.

As baboon high priestess Rafiki (played by the actress Fuschia) belts out the very familiar ``Circle of Life,'' anthropomorphized creatures of the savannah are making their way onto the stage to pay homage to the birth of the future king Simba. The birds and beasts arrive from every possible stage entrance and, most thrillingly, in a procession up the aisles. It's our first and most striking gander at the truly amazing costumes designed by director Julie Taymor - and at the type of spectacle we'll be seeing for the rest of the evening.

``Far too much to take in,'' indeed. There's more to come, but when you see ``The Lion King,'' do not, under any circumstances, be tardy enough to require late seating.

Thankfully, the ``Circle of Life'' procession is not an example of Taymor expending all her artistic bullets in the first 10 minutes. ``The Lion King's'' visual splendor is ongoing, peaking and tapering off as scenes dictate. Even young children will likely resist the urge to squirm for nearly three hours.

As we watch colorful birds circle above the stage on fishing rod lines or shadow puppets enacting a chase, the question is never, ``How are they doing that?'' or ``Why are they doing that?'' We see the faces through the costumes and the artists working the strings. ``The Lion King's'' million-dollar wizardry is all visible and it's all front and center.

More significant is the transformation that Taymor and composers Mark Mancina and Lebo M have brought to Elton John and Tim Rice's original score. Without the African rhythms, which sweep through the Pantages courtesy of music director-conductor Colin Welford, ``The Lion King'' is little more than eye candy. Instead, you have a beautiful number like ``Shadowland'' (not in the 1994 animated movie), in which the young lioness Nala (a golden-voiced Moe Daniels) leaves the desecrated Pridelands as her relatives bid her farewell.

The story? It's the movie brought to life. With the help of some colorful characters, Simba, a good-hearted young screw-up (played as a cub by Adrian Diamond and KaRonn Henderson on alternating nights), has to reclaim his birth right by growing up and facing down his usurping uncle, Scar (John Vickery). This is Shakespeare (a pinch of Hamlet, a dash of Prince Hal and Falstaff) delivered with a Disney-fied touch and enough flatulent-warthog jokes to keep the younger audience members engaged.

Built and designed to withstand many cast changes, ``The Lion King'' will live and die on the strength of its ensemble. Still, the L.A. cast is fortunate to have original cast member Vickery lending his droll menace to Scar. Danny Rutigliano and William Akey clown it up and display considerable puppeteering skills as Timon the wisecracking meerkat and Zazu, the fussy, feathery major domo. Daniels and Clifton Olivier play the adult Nala and Simba.

But the production's unique ability to combine its musical, technical and visual strengths has to be given to Taymor. She's chosen her lieutenants well, but it's her distinctive imprint that will remain on that stage in Hollywood - and, one suspects, on American theater - for many years to come.

``THE LION KING''

Where: Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood.

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday; through June 30, 2001.

Tickets: $12 to $127. Call [phone].

Our rating: Three and one half stars

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Fuschia, who plays the baboon high priestess Rafiki, comes together with other characters to celebrate the birth of the future ruler in ``The Lion King.''