The Lion King

Hey all

Welcome to our first guest review for half term for the Lion king 

The Lion King has been on my list of shows to see for years now, and finally I was able to see it on Thursday night thanks to a very generous Christmas present from my sister.

The first thing I noticed as we headed up to the Lyceum theatre was just how big it really was!
It's the first time I've ever had to queue to get inside, so definitely try and get there earlier. All the staff were lovely and there was a great choice of merchandise available. 

Our seats were in the grand circle, right in the centre so we had a perfect view. 

From the very start, you are immediately captivated by the visual aspects, I've never seen anything like it before. They use a mixture of simple and complex effects, such as puppetry and lighting to tell the story. My favourite was the staircase that unfolded from the stage floor to recreate "Pride Rock".  The way the actors embodied the animals was incredible, you actually forget you are watching people. 

After reading through the programme, I noticed that the majority of the performers were either from African decent this added a whole other level to the show, as there was such a realness and raw sound to their voices, especially while singing in their native language, definitely a "goose bumps" moment. Once you hear that first line from "The Circle of Life" you know you in for something spectacular.

My only criticism was that I felt some of the script was a but weak, and didn't really add anything to the story, but I could easily overlook that from the amazing musical numbers and characters. 

I would really recommend this to anyone! Perfect for families too! Even if you just see it for the wonderful costumes, if you get the chance, go!

Gabriella