Walt Disney's long-running and multi-award winning The Lion King musical continues to delight audiences in London's West End. After opening on Broadway in 1997, the show has gone on to be the most successful piece of entertainment in history, mounting numerous world-wide productions including the original London production at the Lyceum Theatre in the heart of the West End.

Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains and to the evocative rhythms of Africa, Disney's The Lion King musical is unlike anything ever before seen in musical theatre, and will redefine your expectations of what theatre can be. Director and designer Julie Taymor crafts a colourful, imaginative and highly creative world that brings the flora, fauna and animals of Africa to live, set against a timeless score by Elton John and Tim Rice, with additional songs by Lebo M, Julie Taymor, Mark Mancina and Hans Zimmer.

Thousands continue to pack the Lyceum Theatre every week with their Lion King tickets to celebrate and revel in the majestic storytelling that transports audiences to a dazzling world that explodes with glorious colours, stunning effects and enchanting music. The Lion King began previews in the West End on 24th September 1999, with an official opening on 19th October 1999.

The production currently stars New Zealander Nicholas Afoa who makes his West End debut in the role of Simba, reprising his performance from the Australian production. Read our interview with Nicholas Afoa to find out more about his experience with the show.

Song List

The song list for the London production includes:

"Circle of Life"
"Grasslands Chant"
"The Lioness Hunt"
"I Just Can't Wait to Be King"
"They Live in You", "Be Prepared"
"The Stampede"
"Rafiki Mourns"
"Hakuna Matata"
"One by One"
"The Madness of King 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)"

Book your The Lion King tickets, playing at the Lyceum Theatre, London.

Want to browse for more musicals? Check out our guide to the top 10 musicals in London.

Disney's The Lion King Synopsis

Based on the hit 1994 Walt Disney animated film of the same name, The Lion King musical is set in the African Pridelands and tells the coming of age story of lion cub Simba. Introduced to the animal kingdom as the heir to Pride Rock by his father Mufasa, Simba's birth has unsettled his Uncle Scar who finds himself relegated down the line of succession, and he plots along with his hyenas to kill both Mufasa and Simba in order for him to become King.

As Simba grows up and begins to test the boundaries, Mufasa teaches him about the circle of life and their place within the ecosystem. Tricked by Scar, Simba watches helplessly as his father is killed in a stampede. He is persuaded that the accident is his fault, and to run away leaving his friends and family behind. As Scar becomes King of Pride Rock, Simba grows up in the jungle, but his past soon catches up with him and he's finally forced to face his destiny.

Disney's The Lion King Performance Information

Booking from |

3rd November 2020

Available until |

3rd October 2021

Run time |

2 hours 30 minutes

Categories |

Disney Shows

Family & Kids

Musicals

Disney's The Lion King Performance Schedule

Image and Video Gallery

1 Video6 Images

Disney's The Lion King Child Policy

Please note: Children under 3 years of age are not permitted to enter the Lyceum Theatre. The Lion King is recommended for ages 6 and up. All persons aged 16 or under must be accompanied by an adult and may not sit on their own within the auditorium. All persons entering the theatre, regardless of age, must have a ticket.

Disney's The Lion King Cast and Creative

By:

Book by Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi

Producer:

Walt Disney Theatrical productions under the direction of Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher.

Director:

Julie Taymor

Songs by:

Elton John and Tim Rice. Additional songs by Lebo M, Julie Taymor, Mark Mancina, Hans Zimmer.

Lighting:

Donald Holder

Design:

Richard Hudson

Choreography:

Garth Fagan

Costume:

Julie Taymor

Cast list:

Nick Afoa, Janique Charles, Gugwana Dlamini, Shaun Escoffery, George Asprey, Gary Jordan, Jamie McGregor, Mark Roper, Meloné M’kenzy, David Blake, Barnaby Thompson, Zion Gardner, John Madondo, Tia Murrell, Samuel O’Loughlin, Kai Plummer-Walrond, Avive Savannah Williams, Monaé Wilson, Eva Young, Lila Anderson, Merryl Ansah, Thanduxolo Booi, Gabriel Brasilio, Kanika Carr, Azola Dlamini, Jamie Golding, Sandile Gontsana, Du-Wayne Hinds, Makoto Iso, Wilson Kiiru, Garry Lake, Stephanie Tsz Maan Lo, Sadia McEwen, Phumlani Mkhize, Keitumetse Molea, Daniel Monteiro, Ayden Morgan, Rutendo Mushonga, Crystal Nicholls, Luciano Santos Souza, Poseletso Sejosingoe-Mandela, Kristof Skhosana, Shannon Taiwo and Matthieu Vinetot.

Other info:

Strobe lighting is used several times during the performance.

Lyceum Theatre Venue Information

Address:

Lyceum Theatre, 21 Wellington Street, London, WC2E 7RQ

Nearest tube:

Covent Garden

Seating Plan:

View Lyceum Theatre Seating Plan

More venue info

Customer reviews

Our Review of Disney's The Lion King

5/5

The Lion King Review

It's been fifteen years almost to the week that I first saw Disney's The Lion King in what was its first year in the West End. I don't think even Disney could have predicted that sixteen years later the show would still be London's most popular musical, selling out performances eight times a week and playing to packed crowds. Judging the show against the current climate of the West End, I worried some of the magic may have faded, but Julie Taymor's staging and costume design remains... Read more

Latest Disney's The Lion King News & Features

5 Questions from Over the Pond: Nick Afoa & Bradley Gibson

Wednesday, 24 July, 2019

This past weekend, Disney released its latest remake and it took home an almighty sum of £16.7 million during its first weekend of release at the UK box office alone! In case you've been sleeping under a (Pride) rock, we're talking about The Lion King, which assembled an all-star voice cast to re-imagine the 1994 animated classic using the latest in CGI technology. That cast includes the likes of James Earl Jones as Mufasa (reprising the role from the original...

Disney's The Lion King Tickets