Last night I had the pleasure of attending a primary school production of The Lion King by St Alfege with St Peter’s School, down the road from where I live in Greenwich.
The spectacular family musical has been playing in London’s West End for almost twenty years and is still selling out every night with families who flock to London to see the show. Based on the acclaimed Disney film, The Lion King is truly unforgettable, with astonishing staging and wonderful music by Elton John and Tim Rice. The Lion King became the top-earning title in box-office history for both stage productions and films. With breathtaking puppetry and thrilling staging it is still one of the most popular shows in the West End.
The children of St Alfege with St Peter’s School took pride in their performance, given to parents and families last night after months of hard work, learning lines and songs from the show. The production featured songs like Hakuna Matata, Lion Sleeps Tonight, Can You Feel The Love and of course Circle Of Life.
Giving children the opportunity to express themselves through drama is a vital part of growing up and working out who you are going to be in life. More government funding needs to be put in to schools for these kinds of activities, to allow children to come out of their shells and find different ways to express themselves and channel their energy into something positive.
The parents and teachers of St Alfege with St Peter’s School should all be very proud of themselves for what their children have achieved in this perfect-length one hour show of The Lion King.
Reviewed by West End Wilma
Buy tickets to the London production of The Lion King
