BWW Reviews: THE LION KING, February 17 2010

When I first saw The Lion King in 1998, aged 9, I was amazed at the costumes, colours, the singing and not to forget astonishing acting. At such a young age I found it hard to see that my favourite Disney film could be brought to stage, but the performance brought the whole spectacle to life right in front of my eyes which was for me was breathtaking, far better than the animation used on the big screen.

So seeing the show 12 years later I had extremely high expectations, and had prepared myself to be overwhelmed. The show opens impressively with Rafiki singing Circle of Life throughout the ceremony where Simba is presented to the Pride Land, as giraffe, elephants and other lions appear on the stage, while the leopards, zebras and hyenas flow in from the aisles of the stalls, where I was seated. As the cast joined in with the song, I was completely blown away, and think I would go back just to see this song again - definitely one of the highlights of the show. This parade was the most memorable experience of the show: it was visually stunning. To experience The Lion King at its best, I think you really have to be sat in the stalls as you get to see the fascinating costumes up close and really start to feel a part of the show.

I must mention the fascinating costumes - it might be hard for your ordinary viewer to imagine half-human half-animal actors, but turning the cartoon characters from the movie into a theatrical performance couldn't have been done any better. I was particularly moved by the children, especially the boy who played Simba (Anuli Changa) and the girl who played Nala (Kyra-Imani Bitaye-Shepard). Acting at such a young age, I was amazed at how extremely talented they are and how they handle their roles without showing any signs of nerves.

This show is of course incredibly appealing to children, but I'd recommend it to anyone. It certainly brings creativity to new heights through its uniqueness and originality. It's a memorable, unforgettable and outstanding show.