Are you thinking about going to watch a musical in London, but

don’t know which one to choose?

Then, ‘The Lion King’ should definitely be one of your top options!

We recently took our EP London students to watch ‘The Lion King’ musical at the Lyceum Theatre in
London, and we loved it! And this is why.

How is the musical different from the film?

There are probably very few people in the world who don’t know the story of Simba and his journey
from childhood to adulthood. We have all seen the scene where a newborn Simba is presented to
the animal kingdom and lifted to the sky by his father Mufasa, the King. We have sung along to
Hakuna Matata together with the lively duo, Timon and Pumba. And we have all shed a tear (some
of us maybe more than one) at the death of Mufasa by the hands (or paws) of his evil brother Scar.

Well then, you might be thinking, if I already know the plot, why should I go to watch the musical?
For the experience! You will be blown away by the costumes, the music, the performance and even
by the design of the set itself!

How did they recreate the characters?

No real animals were used in the production of the show. The performers all wore masks and
costumes to look like the animal they were representing. Each mask is designed in a way so that
even if you are sitting far away from the stage you can clearly see the features of the different
characters. There are over 350 complete costumes in the show, but one of my personal favourites is
the giraffes’. The two 5.5 metres giraffes are the tallest animals in the show. Each actor is on 4 stilts
and wearing a tall headpiece which forms the neck and head of the animal. This leaves the actors’
faces clear to be able to sing.

How did they recreate the African savannah?

As we know from the film, there are a variety of different locations in ‘The Lion King’, including Pride
Rock, the grasslands, the Elephant Graveyard, the jungle, the gorge where the stampede occurs and
the waterhole. In live theatre, they use different levels and costumes to create these different
locations. Our favourite was when some of the performers wore costumes that made them look like
grass.

When can I go to watch the show?

If this blog has spiked your interest and you are planning on going to watch the show, you should
book tickets in advance. Although, this show has been playing at the Lyceum Theatre in London for
21 years, every evening the theatre is filled with people of all ages. From children to adults to elderly
people, this show is for everyone! Whether you are watching it for the first time or have already
seen it a couple of times, you will never get bored of being transported right into the depths of the
African savannah by the performance, colours, and the sounds of this amazing production!

Glossary

Lively (adj) – interesting and fun

To shed a tear (exp) – to cry

Costumes (n) – special clothes you wear to look like someone or something else

The plot (n) – what happens in a film or a book, the story

Be blown away (phr v) – to think something is amazing or incredible

A mask (n) – something you wear over your face to change your appearance

Stilts (n) – metal or wood poles which you stand on to make yourself taller

Spike someone’s interest (exp) – to get someone’s attention and to make them interested