The Lion King: what Hong Kong theatre-lovers can expect from the musical this Christmas, from master puppetry to localised ‘surprises’
- The wildly successful Broadway show, enjoyed by people in 20 countries worldwide, is coming to Hong Kong next month
- Cast and crew talk about what has changed since its debut in 1997, and why it is important to update it for the modern audience
From the day Disney’s The Lion King arrived on the planet, people around the world have fallen in love with the story of Simba, and with the film’s soundtrack.
The 1994 animation is regarded as a high-water mark for Disney, while the stage musical that debuted three years later has become one of the most successful productions – highest grossing and longest running – of all time.
Almost 95 million people in 100 cities and 20 countries have been introduced to theatre director Julie Taymor’s adaptation of life at Pride Rock, and Hong Kong will get its first glimpse of the show when the musical is staged in the city over the Christmas period, as the conclusion to an Asia tour that began in the Philippines in March.
On stage, the action is brought to life by newcomers Jordan Shaw as Simba and Amanda Kunene as Nala, as well as long-standing Lion King performer Ntsepa Pitjeng as the mandrill Rafiki, the story’s charismatic narrator.
