Review: The Lion King at Birmingham Hippodrome - the magnificent musical roars into town

It’s one of the world’s most magnificent musicals and it’s in Birmingham all summer, so it was a theatre show I knew I could not miss.

With a score from music royalty Elton John and Tim Rice and incredibly iconic stage sets from Disney, The Lion King has a lot to live up to - and I was a little apprehensive that it may not be possible to match such high expectations.

But my fears were immediately allayed from the moment the curtains went up and the entire theatre was filled with joy - from the beautiful scenery on stage, amazing singers and dancers striding through the auditorium - along with a giant elephant. It truly was a remarkable spectacle.

And the wonders continued as we were transported from Birmingham city centre to the African-inspired Pridelands to discover the beautiful story around the trials and tribulations of its people, especially young Simba and his father - and not forgetting Nala, Rafiki, Mufasa and more.

The film is amazing, but the live theatre show carries the audience right in the heart of the touching story of a boy cub’s struggles to become king. You become completely immersed in the drama amid the clever lighting and those spectacular songs performed in real time - The Circle of Life, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, I Just Can’t Wait to Be King, to mention but a few.

Luckily Midlander Matthew Forbes was on hand as Zazu (the character played by Rowan Atkinson in the film) to keep us in touch with reality - with a few fun references to the Bullring, Solihull and other local landmarks. It was lovely to enjoy these comic asides with the cast - especially Rafiki as they relayed the epic story.

More than 150,000 will have seen The Lion King in Birmingham before it finishes its run at the Hippodrome on Saturday, September 16. It’s the first time in a decade that the theatre show has visited the city, so don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to see it.

The show has opened amid some bold plans announced by Birmingham Hippodrome for Brum to create its own musicals - so maybe The Lion King could be an inspiration for a new generation of mega musical hitmakers! We definitely recommend that you go and watch it while you can! To find out more go to: Birmingham Hippodrome The Lion King