The Lion King at the Palace Theatre
Creative Tourist
The sun may have set over our Manchester theatres during the pandemic – but now “it’s rolling high through the sapphire sky” once again. Hit musical The Lion King has added even more dates to its previously postponed run.
The sensational production announced its eagerly-awaited return last summer following the postponement of its 2020 UK tour due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the highly anticipated show will run for 19 weeks, gracing the Palace Theatre’s stage from 27 October 2022 until 11 March 2023.
Based on the hit Disney film, The Lion King promises to be a musical spectacle and a favourite for families of all ages.
The extended run also coincides with the show welcoming its 20th million guest in the UK. Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains and celebrated for songs like ‘Circle of Life’ and ‘Hakuna Matata’, The Lion King has now been seen by a whopping 110 million people in 100 cities around the world to date.
A wonderful reinvention of one of the most successful animated feature films of all time, Julie Taymor’s celebrated stage adaptation of The Lion King opened on Broadway in 1997 – since then, 25 global productions in nine different languages have been created with the beloved show receiving its UK premiere in 1999.
With a huge cast of 57 performers and 232 puppets in every show, The Lion King blends superb design with African rhythms and chorales to tell Simba’s story, as he struggles with the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king.
Set to the evocative rhythms of Africa, the original score from the Disney film has been expanded for the stage musical, now featuring 15 musical numbers by South African composer Lebo M. The result is a unique blend of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds of Africa.
The show has racked up an array of rave reviews over the decades – The New York Times and Time Out – hailed it a roaring success. And since its premiere, it’s been the recipient of many awards – including six Tony Awards in just 12 months. It’s been a long time coming to Manchester but I guess some shows are just worth waiting for.
