Disney’s THE LION KING celebrated 25 triumphant years in the West End’s Lyceum Theatre this afternoon with a special gala performance attended by the original creatives of the show including Julie Taymor, Lebo M, Richard Hudson, Irene Mecchi, Roger Allers and Donald Holder. The award winning creative team were joined in the auditorium by distinguished guests including:
Tom Allen, Liz Carr, Vittorio Angelone, Adam Pearson, Sophie Duker, Strictly’s Jowita Przystał and Nikita Kuzmin, Mawaan Rizwan, Emma Barnett, Deborah Frances-White, Nick Mohammed, Chris MacCausland, Josette Bushell Mingo (OBE) the original Rafiki in the West End from 1999 and Sarah Hadland.
To conclude the performance, five Rafiki’s from across Europe came together for a special and rousing performance of ‘Circle of Life’. London’s Thenjiwe Nofemele was joined on stage by actors representing productions of the musicals past and present from across Europe. The performance was sung in English, German, French, Spanish and Dutch – as well as the five African languages which are featured in every production around the world.
As part of The Lion King’s 25th anniversary celebrations, the Outernet played host to a spectacular visual installation this weekend, produced by Nexus Studios. Transforming the Outernet’s 360-degree screens into a dynamic visual experience, The Lion King Outernet celebrates the intricate work and the heroes behind the scenes—from costume design and puppetry to set creation. At the heart of the experience is a family tree, inspired by Rafiki’s Baobab tree, with vibrant collages of behind-the-scenes imagery and motion graphics. These collages showcase the skill of the teams on and off stage who tirelessly bring The Lion King to life each night.
