Review - The Lion King

                          ***WRITTEN BY ME FOR BACKSTAGE PASS*** 

Regardless of age nobody could fail to be mesmerised by the magic of 'The Lion King', and with 90 crew members and 232 puppets it's safe to say this show does not do things by half. This coming of age story follows Simba, a young lion cub eagerly waiting to follow in his father's footsteps and become the King of the Pridelands. 

Often with a touring production comes slimmed down sets and costumes, but not here. Everything you'd expect to see in the West End show is present and correct and having seen both I actually preferred the atmosphere of a smaller theatre. The tickets specify to be seated at least 5 minutes before curtain up and without giving too much away you will not want to miss why. The familiar opening note from Circle of Life starts and the stage is suddenly alive with colour as we see Julie Taymor's vision come alive when the animals gather to celebrate the birth of their future king. 

With music and lyrics by Elton John and Tim Rice the score is filled not only with songs you would expect to hear such as Can You Feel The Love Tonight and Hakuna Matata, but also numbers with traditional African styles which really pull the production together.

The cast as a whole delivered a perfect performance. John Hasler had Timone's sarcastic streak nailed and had great rapport with Lee Ormsby who played Pumba. One highlight for me was Gugwana Dlamini's take on Rafiki - she brought such warmth and energy to the role. I also enjoyed the addition of a Scottish Zazu (Meilyr Sion), although I'm not sure how well the colloquialisms would translate outwith a Scottish audience. 

It's really great to see regional theatres housing productions of this size and judging by the electric atmosphere in the audience last night I have no doubt the show will have a successful run here.

Review: Once The Musical

There were 2 theatre shows I was desperate to see during my summer trip to London town. The Book of Mormon, which I wasn't fortunate enough to get tickets for (I'm still cursing that lottery!!) and Once. I had read quite a lot of reviews about the show, but I had to go and see what everyone was raving about first hand.

Set in Dublin and based on the film of the same name, Once tells the story of love and friendship  when an Irish busker meets a Czech mother and fellow musician by chance in a bar. The pair bond over their love of music which sparks a connection that neither of them could have predicted.

From the get go I knew Once wasn't going to be your typical show. As I entered the theatre I was met with an on stage bar with the cast in the centre playing Irish folk songs. As I joined them on stage equipped with my Once cup (god I love gimmicks) I couldn't quite believe what was happening. This was a great example of breaking down barriers and really involving the viewer.

The highlight of Once for me was the cast. Zirnka Cvitešić was the perfect choice to play 'Girl', she had the dry humour and sarcasm of the character nailed while Declan Bennett excelled with his portrayal of 'Guy'. The ensemble was packed to the brim with talent playing some of the most colourful and likable characters on the West End. You've heard of a triple threat, but these guys go one step further and play all their own instruments. It was a real treat to see. Though the set was simple, the use of mirrors which encircled the pub gave me the feeling that I was experiencing every moment and emotion wherever it was happening on stage. Coupled with the captivating music this created one of the most intimate stage productions I’ve seen.

There is no fairytale ending here, and I did leave the theatre wondering how it all turned out. However that's the beauty of Once – it leaves the story open for the audience to answer their own questions. What more can you ask from a piece of theatre?

Grab your tickets here