The Roaring success of The Lion King

The roaring success of The Lion King is even evident on the streets outside the theatre. I felt a bit bewildered as I waited to collect my tickets, this production is epic in every sense of the word. The Lyceum itself is massive and takes up half of Covent Garden, and the interior of the theatre looks more like a rock concert stadium.

I have seen The Lion King once before when I was much younger; the show seemed largely unchanged. Although perhaps overly sentimental, this show is a masterpiece in every other respect, and it is no wonder it has done so well. The visuals are stunning with life-like animals and colourful moving sets evolving into the different animal habitats. I love the way the action surrounds the audience: pretend birds flying across the crowds on wire and percussionists sitting almost amongst us. The show definitely feels all inclusive.

The two children who play young Simba and young Nala must be having the time of their lives jumping about the Lyceum stage; I was certainly envious. I’m not sure which of the children performed on the night I went – I was too far away to recognise their faces from the selection in the programme. Timon (Nick Mercer) and Pumbaa (Keith Bookman) are great too and even more hilarious than I remembered, as the musical's two comedians. Brown Lindiwe Mkhize is a sensational Rafiki, filling the whole auditorium with her soulful voice.

The music in The Lion King is written by Elton John & Tim Rice and is relentlessly energetic throughout. I prefer the chorus numbers, they generate an electrifying sound with the huge cast and band that you can’t help but be affected by. Some of the solo songs are a little weak, I was a bit disappointed with Adult Nala’s (Narran McLean) voice and she seems to struggle a bit despite the amplification.

By the end I was exhausted from all the excitement, and it feels slightly bizarre to be unable to find a real criticism. I often overhear people chatting about The Lion King and their individual experiences of the show are all positive. It is a musical for everyone; it is happy but not kitsch and the message is one most can relate to. More than any other show I have seen, I think The Lion King is universally appealing.

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Billy Elliot the Musical

Billy Elliot the Musical has become a Worldwide phenomenon. Winner of 10 Tony Awards, including ‘Best Musical’, this show will not disappoint. The show is based on the smash hit film, it is adapted by Lee Hall with music by Elton John. It tells the poignant tale of a young boy with an unusual talent.

I have seen the show several times and come away amazed every time. The repetitively infectious music and perfect dance sequences are a pleasure to watch, and appeal to all ages. The thing that always surprises me most about Billy Elliot is the jaw-dropping talent displayed by the children in the production. Unlike most musicals, it is a show that relies heavily on one child – Billy, a part that has to be played by a boy with an unbroken voice (so usually not older than 13). At the moment all four London Billys are 12 years old, but there have been much younger boys playing the role. The boys train intensively for months at the 'Billy House', and during each performance there are always at least two of the Billys in costume ready to perform if anything should go wrong.

I saw the adorable Ollie Gardner as Billy. He was just as brilliant as expected, and danced and sang with exhilarating power and passion. Genevieve Lemon took on the role of Mrs Wilkinson, her knowledge and experience of theatre showed as she interacted naturally with the gaggle of girls that make up her ballet class. The rest of the cast were faultless. My favourite character is Billy’s best friend, Michael. Another challenging role for a child, this character must show wit as well as musical theatre talent. I recently saw Jake Pratt as Michael, he was so funny I felt like I wanted to be his friend. It is hard to imagine where these children will be in a few years time if these are the sort of performances they are giving as kids.

Billy Elliot appeals to all and is the musical I recommend to everyone if they want something fun to do in London. For those of you who perhaps haven’t seen many musicals this is a good place to start.

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