Lyceum Theatre London http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:41:51 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Famous Visitors at The Lion King http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org/famous-visitors-at-the-lion-king/ http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org/famous-visitors-at-the-lion-king/#comments Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:54:27 +0000 Tim http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org/?p=498 The Lyceum Theatre has welcomed more than 10 million people to The Lion King since it opened in 1999. The production has delighted audiences for over a decade with its dazzling costumes and puppetry, breaking box office records along the way. It also happens to be one of celebrities’ favourite shows to see in London, and many famous faces have been seen in the Lyceum stalls over the years. Here’s a look back at some of The Lion King‘s famous guests:

   Michelle Obama Lion King      

         

  • The Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife, Samantha, attended the tenth anniversary of The Lion King in London in 2009. 
  • Former UK First Lady Cherie Blair saw the show on the same night.
  • Also attending the anniversary was James Earl Jones, who provided the voice for the role of Mufasa in the original Disney film. He was appearing in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof in the West End at the time and was joined by fellow cast members Phylicia Rashad, Adrian Lester, and Sanaa Lathan.
  • TV stylist Gok Wan made it along to the anniversary too, and found no one in the cast in need of a makeover given the fantastic comments.
  • Former cast members also made it to the gala, including singer Javine Hylton, Vanessa White of the girl group The Saturdays, and rapper Master Shortie.
  • Rounding out the anniversary celebrations were comedian Justin Lee Collins, singer Beverley Knight, TV house hunter Phil Spencer, and model Lisa Snowdon.
  • Michelle Obama took daughters Sasha and Malia along to The Lion King during a visit to London in 2009. Dad Barack was tending to affairs back in Washington.
  • Tom Daley celebrated his bronze medal in diving after the Olympics by seeing the show in August.

Have you spotted any celebrities at The Lion King? Let us know who was in the audience when you visited the Lyceum Theatre.

]]> http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org/famous-visitors-at-the-lion-king/feed/ 0 The Lion King http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org/the-lion-king/ http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org/the-lion-king/#comments Tue, 14 Aug 2012 13:43:38 +0000 Tim http://www.lyceumtheatrelondon.org/?p=415 The Lion King LondonOne of London’s longest-running shows, The Lion King has been in residence at the Lyceum Theatre since its opening in 1999. An adaptation of the hit Disney film of 1994, the stage production is the highest grossing Broadway-show of all time, and The Lion King London has smashed box office records for more than a decade.

Featuring songs composed for the film by Elton John and Tim Rice, The Lion King soundtrack includes the Academy Award-winning hit “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” as well as “Circle of Life,” “Hakuna Matata,” “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King,” and a number of original songs written for the stage production.

Directed and designed by Julie Taymor, the stage production is an awe-inspiring journey through the African savannah, with more than forty actors working in harmony with large-scale puppets to bring a menagerie of jungle animals to life. Taymor’s breathtaking designs rightfully won her an Olivier Award for Best Costumes, and the production earned six Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Director.

Creative Team

Julie Taymor is the acclaimed director of The Lion King. With a background in puppetry and experimental theatre, Taymor’s breakthrough success with this long-running hit led her into film work, including Across the Universe, Titus feature Anthony Hopkins, and The Tempest with Helen Mirren as a female Prospero. One of the most popular pop stars of all time, composer Elton John‘s string of hits includes “Your Song,” “Crocodile Rock,” “Daniel,” and “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” Lyricist Tim Rice has a string of West End and Broadway hits to his credit including Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat. John and Rice also worked together on the hit Broadway musical Aida.

Show length and times

Performances of The Lion King are at 7:30pm from Tuesday through Saturday, with matinees at 2:30pm every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. The running time is 2 hours 45 minutes including a 15 minute interval.

Synopsis and Songs

Adopting the beloved storyline from the film, The Lion King follows Simba, prince of a pride of lions. When his evil uncle Scar kills his father Mufasa, Simba believes he is to blame and flees into hiding. With the help of his colourful friends Timon and Pumbaa, Simba finds the courage to face Scar and take back his rightful place as the King of the Jungle.

Act I

  • “Circle of Life”
  • “Grasslands Chant”
  • “The Lioness Hunt”
  • “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King”
  • “Chow Down”
  • “They Live in You”
  • “Be Prepared”
  • “The Stampede/Rafiki Mourns”
  • “Hakuna Matata”
Act II
  • “One by One”
  • “The Madness of Scar”
  • “Shadowland”
  • “Endless Night”
  • “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”
  • “He Lives in You (Reprise)”
  • “Simba Confronts Scar”
  • “King of Pride Rock/Circle of Life (Reprise)”

Critics’ Reviews

“The Lion King’s broad brushstrokes deliver nothing less than a sweeping panorama of a continent in dignified motion and a deeply felt celebration of life.” - Dominic Cavendish, The Daily Telegraph

 

 

“Taymor, as director, is the organising visual spirit behind the show and she produces a child’s garden of delights.” - Michael Billington, The Guardian

 

 

“The Lion King successfully marries visuals, music and story to create as breathtaking a spectacle as you’re likely to see in a West End theatre.” - Richard Forrest, What’s On Stage

 

 

What did you think of one of the longest-running shows in the West End? Add your review below.

Official Tickets

The Lion King official tickets can be purchased by using the search form at the top-right corner of this page.

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