This weekend I had the privilege of going to see Disney’s award-winning musical THE LION KING at the Manchester’s Palace Theatre. As a fan of the movie, theatre show and the music, this was the perfect opportunity to finally experience the theatrical musical which is based on the 1994 Disney animated film.
I’ve always wanted to see this particular Broadway musical production in London, but due to work and other commitments I didn’t get the chance to go; so you can only imagine my excitement when I learnt that it was being showcased in Manchester as part of their UK tour, and I could finally book my tickets.
Over 75 million people around the world have already been to watch this acclaimed production, and as I noticed when I took my seat in the theatre, many of them were adults or elderly people, who – we can assume – are also fans of the childhood movie, and are only just now seeing it brought to life right before their eyes.
FACT: On September 2014, The Lion King became the top-earning title in box-office history, for both the stage production and the film, surpassing the record previously held by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, which was the first production to gross over $6 billion.
After the success of the Broadway production, the show was produced in the United Kingdom in 1999 by Harrison Lochtenberg, and continues to play at the Lyceum Theatre in London. On February 2012, The Lion King begin its first UK tour, with Manchester hosting the spectacle on December 1st.
I, personally, felt that this theatrical experience was abosulutely incredible, and this is also testament to the fact that The Lion King stage show has engaged and inspired a lot of children and many adults already, by transporting them to this different world filled with stunning effects, costumes, music and choreograph, set to the evocative rhythms of Africa itself.
Some of the favourite memories that I’ve taken away from this musical event include the eye-watering suspense, and bursting into a fit of giggles on repeated occasions. Quite simply, this musical evokes the kinds of memories that will stay with you forever, and I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone.
What are your thoughts on musical theatre productions? Does The Lion King live up to expectatcions? Let me know what you think in the comment box below!
