REVIEW: The Lion King - Bristol Hippodrome

The Pride of Musical Theatre at Bristol Hippodrome…

I’m not sure there can be a more spectacular opening to any show in musical theatre than The Lion King’s The Circle of Life? From the second you see a safari of animals galloping down the aisles towards the stage, there’s a 2000-strong audience grinning from ear to ear.

Disney can often be accused of saccharine storytelling, but here is a show with some integrity. Not least maybe in the sheer quality of the storytelling and the exquisite production values.

I’ve seen this show a number of times and like Les Miserables at Bristol Hippodrome last year, unlike many other touring musicals, this one gets better and better the longer it runs.

It’s hard to know where to start with the plaudits for this production. The young talents of Vidar Soluade and Adreanna Steventon-Todd as Young Simba and Young Nala respectively, delivering performances and perfect harmonies well beyond their years? The commanding Richard Hurst as the scheming Scar? The stunning Zodwa Mrasi as the wise and witty Rafiki?

It feels wrong to single out anyone for special mention because I’m not sure there is a more talented and hard-working ensemble performing on a stage anywhere than this huge cast.

There’s puppetry, animatronics, shadow art and so much stunning theatricality, it’s a feast of colour and spectacle. The 11-strong orchestra fill the auditorium with some sublime African sounds, the percussion coming from the boxes on the side of the auditorium creating an almost surround sound experience. People talk about immersive theatre and this is the most immersive musical I’ve seen in a long while.

Elton John’s score is well known with numbers like The Circle of Life, Hakuna Matata and Can You Feel The Love Tonight? being particular crowd pleasers. But it’s in the quieter moments that this production finds its heart. He Lives In You and the stunning Nokwanda Khuzwayo singing Shadowland are truly moving moments.

There are life-size giraffes and elephants and three troublesome and hilarious hyenas to provide the comedy - surpassed only by the brilliant and hilarious Alan McHale as Timon and Carl Sanderson as Pumbaa. It’s a show that has everything, the pride of musical theatre.

The Lion King runs at Bristol Hippodrome until Saturday 1st of July. Tickets here.