This helps in making the illusion even more real! All of which can seem off-putting at first but actually, it makes him blend in the background so that the audience can focus better on his Timon puppet. The actor playing Timon wears a green all-in-one suit, a green wig and green make-up. The beak can be moved and the actor can also make the eyelids blink. The actor playing Zazu must use both hands to animate him: one hand controls the neck and head while the other controls the rest of the body, including the wings. I really loved the puppet and the apparent simplicity of it when, in reality, it is one of the most complex puppets of the production. The derby hat and the butler’s uniform perfectly fit the character and its “Englishness”. People often talk about the lion costumes and their masks but personally, one of my personal favourite costumes is Zazu’s. Of course, we can’t talk about The Lion King without talking about the costumes. ‘The Stampede’, ‘Mufasa’s death’, ‘Simba Confronts Scar’, amongst other numbers, are some of the musical numbers which are the most impressive visually – moving sets, flashing lights – a true feast for the eyes! And the ears, as it goes without saying that every single singer in that show does an amazing job. Young Simba and Young Nala had great chemistry and an incredible stage presence. Fortunately, the child actors compensated with their endless energy. Don’t get me wrong, the singing was amazing and the actors were brilliant but the acting seemed sometimes quite lazy as if they made no real effort between songs. However, my personal impression is that this musical relies too much on visual effects. At that point, I did not know where to look, so many things were happening all at once! So many colours, so many sounds… What a great way to start the show! I strongly recommend sitting in the stalls if you love the show as you will have the amazing experience of having the cast walking past you on their way to the stage during the opening number. I live for good harmony and ‘Circle of Life’ has got all the harmonies I could ever dream of. I should have known that, of course, it was going to be amazing. I had been listening to the cast recording for ages and it still exceeded my expectations. Visually, The Lion King is mind-blowing! The costumes, the sets, the lighting… Everything is designed to be spectacular and it is! But more than that, the actors themselves blew me away. I must admit that my expectations were quite high. And now all these years later, I finally had the chance to see the real thing, live on a West End stage. They remind me of a time in my life where I was surrounded by loving friends and even though the world was going crazy – and it still is – I was singing, dancing and acting through this musical with them. This show, these songs, this story mean so much to me. Then, Rafiki started singing and I was on the edge of my seat. But is it really a show for everyone?įrom the very first note of the opening number, I started to have goosebumps all over. Old and young have roamed the halls of the Lyceum Theatre in sheer joy. Opened in the West End since October 1999, The Lion King is a delight for all ages.
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