Bristol theatregoers are counting down the days for the eagerly awaited return of Disney's The Lion King at the Hippodrome.
After sell-out performances in 2019, this record-breaking show is returning to the Hippodrome for a month-long residency.
The Walt Disney Company UK and Ireland has today released a first look at new cast members Stephenson Ardern-Sodje and Nokwanda Khuzwayo in the rehearsal room, having taken over the roles of Simba and Nala in the show’s UK & Ireland tour.
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Nokwanda Khuzwayo played the role of Nala in Germany and Brazil and will be joined by Ireland’s Alan McHale as Timon with Cardiff-born newcomer Owain Rhys Davies taking the role of Ed.
They will join returning principals Matthew Forbes as Zazu, Jean-Luc Guizonne as Mufasa, Richard Hurst as Scar, Rebecca Omogbehin as Shenzi, Thandazile Soni as Rafiki, Carl Sanderson as Pumbaa and Simon Trinder as Banzai.
The show features spectacular masks, puppets, and costumes to tell the story of Simba's epic adventures, as he struggles with the responsibilities of adulthood and becoming king.
Having played in more than 100 cities in 20 countries on every continent except Antarctica, The Lion King’s worldwide gross exceeds that of any film, Broadway show or other entertainment title in box office history. The landmark musical has now been seen by over 110 million people worldwide.
Julie Taymor’s internationally celebrated stage adaptation of The Lion King opened on Broadway in 1997 and 25 global productions in nine different languages have been created since then.
The previous tour of broke attendance records across the nation and since the UK premiere in 1999, The Lion King has entertained more than 16 million theatregoers in London and is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.
The original score from the animated film was expanded for the stage and now features 15 musical numbers.
Elton John and Tim Rice have added three new numbers to the five that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film.
The Lion King is at the Bristol Hippodrome from February 17 until March 19. Tickets can be bought here.
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