Lyceum Theatre

Music of 90s nostalgia mixed with rich African colours and sounds make for an impressive show you'll fall in love with.

Introduction - and a Happy Birthday

I went into The Lion King with an open mind and a very open, yet nervous, heart. I imagine all children of The Lion King film era do.

There are thousands of reviews and articles for The Lion King musical. A Google search tells me there are over 12 million results. Hardly surprising after 25 years in the UK and 26 in the US. When the musical was first released, I was excitedly running around Disneyland Paris for its 5^th birthday. If you’d asked me that year what my favourite films were, The Lion King would have been one of the highest on the list.  We even had a Rhodesian Ridgeback called Simba as kids. A real hyena-hunter. So whilst there are over 12 million reviews already, and all of these words have already been said, it feels like this one deserves a little more of my heart; word count be damned. I also visited during the shows 25th anniversary, so something a bit more in-depth about its themes feels fitting.

This is also to say, I am not a Disney obsessive. In fact, that’s likely why I never thought to see the show before. It didn’t really interest me – I loved the film. That’s all I needed. I don’t fan girl over each Disney that comes out and certainly take all of them with the pinch of salt they deserve, particularly as a woman. But I do enjoy them as narratives and entertainment. Now I’ve been, I can see I was missing out on something just a little bit magical.

The Lion King holds lessons that last a lifetime but also transform, taking on new life and meaning with each generation that gets to explore it for the first time. Just as it represents itself in story and song, so too it mirrors in the lives of its fans. The truth of how we pass stories down through generations is made acutely obvious when you take the animated film and represent it on stage. Even more so when you wait 25 years to see it, with your own child now in tow.

The beauty of the costume, lighting, movement and choreography, as well as the additions of heightened African roots that the westernised film did less justice to in its colours, sounds and actors is a real treat for older fans and their kids alike.

There’s something magical anyway about a child’s first full-on theatre trip, but add in The Circle of Life, rhythmic African drumming, and the beauty of the puppetry and costumes, and you move away from a theatre trip into something of the spiritual and magical. Something to hold and treasure with your child forever.

There will come a time where I will put all of my thoughts to words on The Lion King, and it will far exceed what I will cover here – but at the risk of writing something dissertation-length and of repeating the millions that have gone before me – the below will do… for now.



Story & Themes - 9/10

Disney is renowned for recycling stories and themes. So to get the obvious out of the way - The Lion King, despite being classed as the first original story by Walt's crew, shares many similarities with the tale of Aladdin. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that characters such as Jafar, The Princess, and Aladdin, plus fun animal sidekicks, are played out again here in a way Disney audiences are familiar with. The battle of good vs. evil. Of finding balance. Of finding ourselves. Of not needing anybody and then needing everybody. Of righting wrongs and lies and fixing our mistakes. At its heart, it’s a story focused on moral lessons about living life to its full but ultimately facing up to the realities of responsibility – and what happens when responsibility is placed in the hands of those without good intentions. Finding balance between the frivolity of life whilst also taking your place as part of the ever-turning wheel is the aim of the game and The Circle of Life, though the story for me is far more about how we break that circle, not bow down to it.

The 1.5 marks are only lost because of the cheek of claiming The Lion King as original back in the 90s and that despite the additions to the script - we still need greater evolution towards Nala being key to Simba's success. Behind every Lion...

Let's break down the core themes and lessons:

The Circle of Life (Literal): The food chain and all it encompasses, which grows ever more pertinent as the years go on and our consumption is under the microscope even further. The Lion King has always been a great story for demonstrating that our ecosystem is fragile and that everything has a food source – remove the light and over hunt or eat, remove the source.

What I'll never really understand though, and as a vegan (sorry), why do the antelope come back? Watching these lessons played out by actors rather than cartoon characters brings the messages in to starker context. Are we sure the circle of life means we all eat someone or something? Or does Simba's move away from meat to slugs symbolise the breaking of a circle that is then re-formed (or not?) when he returns to the pride? Why do the animals even bother coming back after scar is gone? Surely not just to be protected by the lions when they know that the reason Simba returns is because they'd all been eaten already... by the LIONS? When will we learn that the circle of life can also mean power in numbers and that there are always other ways to sustain ourselves.

The Circle of Life (Metaphysical): Every end has a beginning, but they can all exist as separate stories and loops. Whilst the general theme is that everything cycles and begins again, there is a distinct difference in that Simba has learned that fun and enjoyment are also important to him. The addition of Timon and Pumbaa into his closest circle (who would be food chain otherwise) symbolizes an important lesson: whilst the circle is ever spinning, we still have the power to change what has been before to make the next cycle even stronger.

OurRobORos - if you were also a fan of Red Dwarf (the subtlety in relevance here for the burning red African sun should not be lost on you) then you'll see the Circle of Life as never-ending, yet still with a start and finish. The word representing destruction and then rebirth - the reminder that yes, cycles repeat - but they can also be changed, and usually that means destroying "stuff". This was felt far more strongly sat in that room on the eve of Trump's win - something akin to the end of Act 2 where Mufasa is dead and its now time for the hyenas to pull the lions apart.



Hakuna Matata: Lessons in positivity and letting (some) stuff go. Take a breath, sing along, and let worries pass you by for a moment. When taken in with the rest of the film’s morals, it’s not about never having a worry, but instead about understanding that when you do, there’s always time to take a moment and come at the problem with strength in a new light. Plus it's a total banger of a song, naturally.

Politics and Power: The themes will always hold impressively well in contemporary politics and the power struggles that go along with it, as represented through Scar. It was a great early learning experience for me about the possible cruelty's that exist in the world, and sat in that theatre on the eve of Trumps victory, this seemed even more poignant. When will the hyenas be arriving?

Women’s Equality & Righting Wrongs: The Lion King is also an example of an early Disney film where the trigger to heroism could be one of several people. Ultimately, you can say Simba’s bravery at returning to a world where people think he harmed his dad or has lied about his death is the truly heroic thing – when we have made a mistake, do we own up to it and face the fire or do we run?

But you can also see this as a story very much focused on Nala, who sees the horror of what happens at Pride Rock and chooses to go alone into the unknown to find either help or a new home. Her strength and courage are what ultimately find Simba. If she hadn’t tried, would he have ever returned?

And Rafiki is also at play here, without her guidance, foresight and wisdom, would any of them have made it anyway? Her and Zazu's counsel is what leads the powerful - a subtle note to the closed doors spiritual and business advisors running our worlds.

The balance between them all is a really useful tool for important conversations with kids about gender equality and power, and the stage adaptation did a far superior job of leaning in towards this with additional Nala scenes. It helps to bring the story forward a leap from the 90s and whilst not perfect, does a better job of demonstrating her leadership than the cartoon did.

The inclusion of a funeral for Mufasa was really important too – it added strength and power that the film missed as it focused in on Simba’s journey. A nice way for the musical to nod to the righting of that wrong also. Though be warned - I lost a father figure this year and the additional scenes and songs left me a bit battered emotionally.

This true-to-script adaptation was very well done but I almost want to see a sliding doors-esque version where Nala doesn’t find Simba, who lounges in waterfalls eating slugs all day, while she goes full on Arya Stark and comes back to take out Scar herself. Perhaps when Walt hits 200, eh?

The Elephant Graveyard: An elephant never forgets, but despite the lessons The Lion King attempts to teach us, we always seem to. When will we learn to break the cycle and start anew? The Lion King perfectly sums up Disney as a whole – those old memes you see of repurposed film footage and stills being used to animate their "new" story. They've been telling us and showing us for years - recycling will continue, and the circle keeps looping – but what if there doesn’t need to be someone at the bottom of the chain forever? Of course it needs a new loop, but it can become more than just a circle. It just needs someone to break it first. Disney always do an incredible job of storytelling and they make beautiful things - but in 100 years, they don't seem to have found the answer to unlocking the ending we've all forgotten either to turn the circle in to an & - But they do make a damn good musical.



Aesthetics (Visual Design) 9/10

Let's get this out of the way way - the actors who play the giraffes and manage to hold stilts on their hands without crying in pain are to be applauded. And my god, they look amazing. It goes without saying that the puppets and costumes are insanely beautiful. The elephants, hippo's, rhino's - each one made with such precision and obvious perfectionism.

The shadow puppetry is every bit as impressive as you've likely heard already – evocative of other popular references and magical BBC kids’ dramas full of silhouetted and shadowed figures in the 80s and 90s, inspired by African and Native Indian storytelling.

Particular note obviously will go to the opening of The Circle of Life, as well as the stampede scene, which was insanely well done, with actors and puppets rolling in as one in a beautiful display of true theatricalism.

Personal favourites across the set were Rafiki's tree of life - the perfect visualisation for the mark-makings of our ancestors and children alike adoring the branches, as well as the stary-faced Mufasa, which I can only assume was people but could have been a thousand tiny lights for all I know or care. It also goes without saying that The Circle of Life is endlessly impressive BUT the beginning of Act 2 is something that really struck a chord. Whilst much of the performance is neutral in its earthy, golden tones, the start of Act 2 (as well as a few other moments) literally bursts with colour and vibrancy. The costumes and birds flowing together are gorgeous and combined with the incredible singing from the African chorus - just whoa.

The lighting throughout is also rich and golden; the entire performance is visually somehow simple yet completely mesmerising in colour and detail. This is all echoed in the beauty of the make-up used and the costumes, rich in what looks like bamboo to craft part-costume, part-puppetry. It's really hard to know where to even comment on each element with this production. Is it puppet? prop? make-up? actor? Stunning, yet so simple.

Sound & Music 9/10

Do we really need to talk about the songs themselves? The songs you will know and love are there (apart from I’ve Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts – FOR SHAME, GUYS. Rowan must be LIVID), and the new song additions only serve to add to the story and its depth of feeling, not detract.

Mufasa, singing They Live in You (matched again later with He Lives in You + stunning set), feels like it deserves its place in the story forevermore, and may leave you more than a little bit teary. I think in future when I watch the animated version, I'll need to tag this song on, if only for the cathartic crying.

Shadowland, was also sung powerfully, representing the fallen state of Pride Rock and her strength and sorrow in a way the film never touched without a Nala-solo.

But the greatest addition really was the increase in something a little more authentic to Africa. The soundscaping, dance, and heightened drumming are perfect throughout. The drummers who sit in the box are a treat too – every now and then I would glance over and see them happy as anything, gently beating their drums, creating a soundscape alongside the rest of the orchestra. Oh to be those drummers.

My biggest gripe? I couldn't really tell what the hyenas were saying in their song. I got the majority of what was intended but even though I went twice, I struggled both times. And that sucks because the hyenas are CLASSIC.

This production was bound to be a bit special on sound and music, if only for the love of the greats - all of which are done beautifully, with only one real exception... I needed more Hakuna Matata and I needed it louder, bigger, extended and with ample time on the log watching Simba age. For that alone, I detracted a star.

I am not going to get into Be Prepared because it literally sets me alive and I am not ashamed in the slightest. Well played.



Movement & Choreography 9.5/10

The dancing is nuts. It's nuts in a way that it probably doesn't seem nuts because some of the choreophraphy looks fairly simple (*ahem* with all my dance skill). It's more about how well matched the movement to the character is and how genuinely some of the cast move as if they are the animals they represent.

The wildebeests shift and change as one; the lighting and sound scaping perfectly paired against their movement. The drama is felt far more on stage than in animation. The stampede is impressive as a result, and Mufasa's death, even though a little harder to convey the "trapped-ness" of him within the stampede, leads to an impressive climb and fall.

A personal favourite is the subtlety with which the reeds swayed - each actor so delicate in their movement and timed to perfection. The lionesses echoed this movement later, much is the circle of life, wearing flowing sheer, batwing style outfits, moving in a way that really did scream women in power. No effects, no big overly-performative moves – just what I feel I’d expect being sat in the wilderness watching native dancers flow to the sounds of the universe around them.

As mentioned earlier, the start of Act 2 also sees stunning bird puppetry, with bright colourful wings flying around the theatre, beckoning late-comers back to their seats. I got a bit emotional at this one too as the movements of the actor-nimals (a new word I just coined. You're welcome.) returned to the stage whilst the birds circles the audience. Impressive.

The cheetah are very impressive – it’s hard to tell if the actor is mirroring the puppet or the puppet is mirroring the actor - as with all of the casts movements, they are seamless and smooth, but also with a clockwork nature that reflects the uniformity of an in-sync herd perfectly.

Cast & Characterisation 8.5/10

You can tell this cast love what they do and the casting in voices alone is impressive.

Rafiki, Zazu and Scar are phenomenal. Muafasa literally feels like he's a king and sang with the voice of one. Nala and Simba, young and old, (prepare for Nala’s adult voice!) were equally impressive, but what will forever standout is the simplicity and beauty in the craft of how they all flowed together. It’s like watching a highly complex puppet show where the people are the puppets, and you can’t tell where the actor ends, and the animal begins.

In truth, it’s also hard to tell (as I’m sure is the point) whether or not they are truly intended to be animals in this version, or whether they are all dressed as their spirit animals, taking the story from animation back to roots and supporting its transition away from “just a kids film” to something more tangible for the millennials that grew with it, to grow with also. Bringing the richness of the culture it reflects to the forefront and deepening the lessons it taught us as children. All handled well through the existing script and the actors who portray our beloved characters.

Timone and Pumbaa are exactly the balls of energy you’d expect – though it’s funny how live, their characters have become less prominent than in the film (in fact my only real quibble was with Hakuna Matata feeling a little more rushed than they could have got away with, presumably because the younger actors needed to head to bed).

The musical has certainly tried to gently shift away from the animated film and the focus on these two characters feels removed slightly to make way for the wider ensemble so the focus can shift to the animal puppetry and costume, as well as the traditional African singers and dancers. This is not a bad thing and they of course stand out in buckets regardless, but it’s definitely easier to see how little screen time those very prominent characters get in the film when you watch it performed live.

The hyenas were great but as noted above, I did struggle to make out the words they were saying. I can't actually figure out why because the voicing is matched beautifully to Woopie Goldberg and co, but for some reason I couldn't hear their singing as well. They were acted brilliantly though, as with all the cast. Though I will say that I saw this twice in a month and on one occasion the acting felt slightly more hollow for some. I put it down to needing a quieter night and the beauty is that it takes 2 minutes of Rafiki being on stage and things are immediately back at high energy.

Shout out to the young Simba and Nala too - I can't imagine how exhausted they must be. They both exuded the joyful, playfulness of cubs really well together and both the "I thought you were really brave" and baby Simba roars were tiny moments that were nailed. Older Nala and Simba also had good chemistry together, whilst keeping it very PC in body language. I am not at all jealous of a "found each other after all these years" love. Not even a tiny bit.

The ensemble are significantly impressive. That is all.



Final notes:

People want to see something akin to the film and the producers/Disney don’t disappoint here. An exceptionally strong, far more "classic" theatrical experience than the more high-tech counterparts currently also open. I'd advise seeing this, particularly if you are primarily used to flashy tech-led shows and big all out TV-turned-musical adaptations, as it really is far truer to an older vibe that often feels like it could be on its way out. The music, colours and beauty is worth it, without a doubt.

This story will never age, with lessons just rolling and adapting for the times. And I guess that's the point of the circle anyway. The Lion King still serves as a very explicit view for children and adults alike about how the wheel turns, and turns in the favour, more often than not, of power.

I saw this either side of the US election results and it was a bit like watching a sexier Trump in Scar (don't judge; we all know Be Prepared is the stuff of legend). And whilst it’s a great introduction to power and politics – looking back on nearly 4 decades of Disney for me, something in all their stories still seems to be missing – the real moral. The real question (of which the answer is most certainly not 42) is still unspoken. And the stories all focus on the same thing. Can the little guy ever really win? Or does he have to go away until he’s the bigger, stronger lion before he can reclaim control. And would he ever have, if it wasn’t for the female lead? If we all work together, can we win? And are any of us even sure what the real power-players are trying to? Are these even the right questions to ask?

As Disney stories go then, the story is both brilliant but also frustratingly repetitive if you don't just see if for the beautiful visual and audible feast it is. It may be one of the only Disney stories to actually rely entirely on said female lead to ensure the happy ending, while immediately transferring power to the man. Even the likes of Moana and Raya these days herald the message that you can’t do it alone as a woman and reflects instead the need for support from others, whilst claiming power as "feminist" texts. Still too afraid to let the underdog ever really be the power. I guess we're still waiting for the big Disney reveal on what all of these stories really mean.

Time to wake up yet, Walt?

At least we've got gorgeous musicals like this to watch whilst we wait.

Happy Birthday to The Lion King on West End.

"They live in you" - For me, The Lion King always will. Even more so after this.



How The Lion King Scored in Review...

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Our review scoring explained:

As of November 2024, our show rating system will be changing to further refine how we score individual reviews. Productions will stay rated out of 5 but now across the below categories, with each category having a possible 10 stars also - a total of 50 points up for grabs.

10/10 for each point will result in a 5/5 show. 5/10 for each would result in a 2.5 star show. Scores /5 will be rounded up to the nearest half star.

The categories reviewed against are:

Story & Themes

Plot, script, dialogue, pacing, emotional resonance, and thematic depth.
How well the story connects with the audience and delivers its intended impact.

Aesthetics (Visual Design)

Sets, props, costumes, lighting, overall visual appeal.
Covers how the visual design contributes to the mood, themes, or story.

Sound & Music

Music, sound-scaping, score, songs, auditory experience.
For plays: emphasises sound design and how it supports the atmosphere or storytelling.
For musicals: focuses on the quality and integration of songs and score.

Movement & Choreography

Dance, blocking, physicality, use of space, movement direction.
For plays: addresses physical performance and staging.
For musicals: includes choreography and integration of dance.

Cast & Characterisation

Acting performances, character portrayal, chemistry between cast members.
How effectively the cast embodies their roles and supports the narrative.