The Lion King

Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains and to the evocative rhythms of Africa, Disney's multi-award winning musical will redefine your expectations of theatre.

Brilliantly reimagined by acclaimed director Julie Taymor, Disney's beloved film has been transformed into a spectacular theatrical experience that explodes with glorious colours, stunning effects and enchanting music.

At its heart is the powerful and moving story of Simba - the epic adventure of his journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands.

Running time 2h 30m (incl. interval)

Journey across the African plains with Disney’s The Lion King. Book The Lion King tickets in London on TodayTix.

Based on the The Lion King Disney movie, this beloved musical follows young lion cub Simba, a prince and heir to Pride Rock, the land of his father, Mufasa. As Simba begins to learn what it means to be a King and to lead his people, Mufasa’s duplicitous brother, Scar, plots to take over the Pridelands. With the help of a pack of hyenas, Simba must face the world alone, discovering a new way of life in the jungle with new friends Timon and Pumbaa.

The Lion King musical is a fun-filled stage spectacular. It features music by Elton John and Tim Rice, incorporating fantastic puppetry to bring the animal kingdom to life. See gazelles move gracefully across the stage, an elephant take to the theatre aisles and birds fly across the auditorium! The Lion King London musical is part of the West End's circle of life, after all.

What to Watch For:

• The Lion King isn't just told in English. Songs in The Lion King use six different African languages throughout the show, including Zulu, Swahili and Xhosa, representing a variety of African nations and communities.
• Julie Taymor, theatre designer and director, designed the all of the costumes and used carbon fibre to create the animal masks. This made them light enough for the performers to wear, but strong enough to last a while for a long running show.
• In total, there are 232 puppets used in the The Lion King in London. The production showcases 25 different species of animals, birds, fish and insects.
• By far, the largest puppet in the show is the Elephant, given the nickname Bertha by the crew. She is 13 foot long and 9 foot wide. It takes four people to work together in order to move the puppet across the Lyceum Theatre's stage.