Our Guest Blogger, Katie Shea, has finally been able to see The Lion King and on behalf of Door2Tour.com she has put together this mini review of the show.
Everyone has seen the film of The Lion King – right? As one of my favourite Disney films growing up it was always one of the musicals that I wanted to see but, I confess as a student couldn’t afford a train ticket and theatre ticket, and so it got assigned into my ‘I will see it one day’ category. Then finally, yesterday, my day came…
Fresh off of a Disney Cruise and in full Disney swing, I was more than ready to watch this award-winning West End production (even if I was slightly jetlagged)!
Set in the Serengeti Plains of Africa, The Lion King explores the timeless tale of Simba who is destined to be King of the Pridelands. The musical based on the 1994 Disney Film, takes the audience on a journey through the use of spectacular colour, breath-taking props and stunning scenery from Simba’s birth to the time he becomes King.
From the minute the musical begins you find yourself immersed in the sights and sounds of Africa. Animals walk through the theatre from the back of the stalls to the stage, an enormous elephant made my jaw drop, I think there had to be about five members of the cast inside controlling it. Giraffes are cleverly portrayed by actors and actresses on stilts making them tower over the assembled animals during the opening song the ‘Circle of Life’.
I was extremely glad the musical combined songs from the original Disney film classic such as, ‘I Just Can’t Wait to be King’, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’ and the unforgettable ‘Hakuna Matata’ with new African music, appealing to fans of the popular film, as well as those who haven’t seen it.
The musical would not be nearly as successful if it wasn’t for the gigantic cast who worked together to create a flawless performance from start to finish. My personal favourite had to be Timon, despite the actor being painted entirely in green, he was so in control of his puppet that you didn’t even notice he was there for the majority of the time.
The young Simba and Narla are played by a young actress and actor, both deserving much applause for their portrayal, even if they did not stay until the finale and curtain call, it was a school night after all! The curious character of Rafiki is even more hilarious in the musical than in the film, and definitely deserves a special mention. The actor playing Zazu (the bird) is again brilliant, as with Timon, you don’t even notice the puppet master for the majority of the time, you are too transfixed by the bird.
I would recommend The Lion King Musical to anyone of any age, the combination of puppetry, costume and humour makes this musical one spell-binding adventure, which will leave you enthralled from the minute the curtain rises and the first notes of the Circle of Life begins, to the final note of the performance. It’s no coincidence that this musical has been running for 13 years and has become a must-see for fans of the theatre…
Have any of you seen The Lion King, would you agree with this review? What was your favourite part of the show? Do get in touch as we’d love to hear your thoughts!