King of Cuddles Performs Purple ‘Magic’

The royal crest with the letter B on display during the “Barney’s Magic Castle” stage extravaganza is fitting: After all these years, the big guy is still the king. The roaring little fans at Wednesday’s opening show at the Great Western Forum could attest to that.

You’ve got to hand it to the mushy, gushy Purple One, too. Success and multimillion-dollar marketing haven’t gone to his head. His live show, starring Baby Bop, BJ and real kids, is as relentlessly smiley as the TV show, but it’s also as simple, sunny and sing-along friendly.

Even my young companion readily put her 5 1/2-year-old sophistication on the shelf (the majority in attendance were at the toddler and preschool stage).

She clapped during “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” shouted “Wake Up!” at the top of her lungs to help Barney rouse a sleepy palace guard, waved her handout cardboard flag as part of the castle fanfare and happily blew a kiss to the dino star when he sang his endlessly parodied signature song, “I love you, you love me. . . .”

Essentially, the show, produced and directed by Sloan Coleman, is an extended invitation to play along. The plot: Barney and pals find a king’s crown in the Enchanted Forest and set out for the royal castle to return it, aided by a tap-dancing road sign and forest animals. At the castle are dancing suits of armor, a portrait gallery to inspire a nursery rhyme medley and dress-up costumes for the cast’s audience with the king.

The songs are nonstop and, on opening night at least, many appreciative parents knew the lyrics as well as their kids.

With all that has happened this year to spark debate about violence in the media, an unfailingly polite, hug-happy purple dinosaur seems a lot less sappy than he used to.

* “Barney’s Musical Castle,” Great Western Forum, 3900 W. Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, today, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1:30 and 5 p.m. Also at Anaheim Convention Center, Wednesday and next Friday, 7 p.m.; Thursday, 3 and 7 p.m.; Oct. 23, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Oct. 24, 1 and 5 p.m. Australian children’s entertainment group the Wiggles will perform during the Anaheim run, every day but Oct. 24. $11-$30; $2 discount on weekdays. (213) 480-3232. (805) 583-8700, (714) 740-2000. Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes.