The Lion King: Book Tickets Now

At the Lyceum Theatre: more than 232 puppets, and an elephant that walks in through the Stalls.

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The Lion King

Highlights

Witness one of the most beloved stage productions in London’s West End.

Enjoy an exceptional theatrical display featuring impressive scenery, set designs, and music.

Join thousands of delighted audiences over the past two decades at the historic Lyceum Theatre.

Good to Know About The Lion King

Running time is 2 hours 30 minutes: That includes one 15-minute interval.

Recommended for ages 6 and over: Children under 3, including babies in arms, are not admitted.

Under-16s must sit with an adult: Anyone aged 16 or under has to be accompanied and cannot sit alone in the auditorium.

Everyone needs their own ticket and seat: That applies regardless of age, so there is no lap-sitting.

Strobe lighting and smoke effects are used: The official notice covers theatrical smoke and fog effects alongside strobe lighting during parts of the show.

Arrive early for the opening number: Full-size animal puppets process down the stalls aisles during Circle of Life.

No photography or filming: Recording of any kind is banned inside the auditorium.

About The Lion King

A scene from Disney's The Lion King on stage

The story is Simba's: a cub who loses his father, leaves the Pride Lands and returns to reclaim the throne Scar took from him. Julie Taymor's staging turned it into something the film could not be, built on masks, rod puppets and performers on stilts. Elton John and Tim Rice wrote the score; Lebo M shaped its African choral sound.

The scale runs from hand-held birds to 14-foot giraffes, and Circle of Life sends much of the procession down the aisles before it reaches the stage.

Interesting Facts About The Lion King

Julie Taymor won the 1998 Tony for Best Direction of a Musical for this production, the first woman to take the award.

Taymor calls her central idea the "double event": mask and actor's face stay visible at once, so the animal and the human read together.

The Mufasa and Scar masks are built from silicone rubber with a carbon-fibre overlay, then painted to look like carved wood.

The giraffes in Circle of Life stand 14 feet tall; the actors climb ladders to get inside, then walk on stilts.

Bertha, the elephant, is 13 feet long and nine wide, and needs four cast members inside to walk her down the aisle.

Rafiki is male in the 1994 film. Taymor made the character female for the stage, giving the show a leading woman the film lacked.

The cast sings and speaks in six African languages across the performance, among them Swahili, Zulu and Xhosa.

Building the show's puppets and masks took around 37,000 hours of work.

The Lion King - Highlights in Pictures

Young Simba on stage in Disney's The Lion King

Lyceum Theatre

21 Wellington Street, London, WC2E 7RQ

A few steps up from the Strand, on the eastern edge of Covent Garden

Samuel Beazley's columned portico dates from 1834; Bertie Crewe rebuilt the auditorium in 1904

Around 2,100 seats across three tiers

Covent Garden Piazza, the Embankment and the Strand's pubs are all a short walk

Getting There

By Tube
By Bus
By Car

A London Underground roundel sign in the West End

By Tube

Covent Garden station on the Piccadilly line is about five minutes on foot: north up Wellington Street, left into Russell Street, then up James Street past the Piazza.
Charing Cross is about seven minutes down the Strand for the Northern and Bakerloo lines and National Rail. Temple, on the District and Circle lines, is roughly ten minutes east.

Lyceum Theatre - Facilities and Accessibility

Bertie Crewe rebuilt the Lyceum's three tiers in 1904, behind the 1834 portico still fronting Wellington Street. Four licensed bars and merchandise counters sit across the seating levels; the Ballroom Bar opens 90 minutes before curtain.

A lift at the Exeter Street entrance serves every level except the Stalls. Steps remain inside each circle: the Royal Circle lift opens at Row H, the Grand Circle lift near Row B.
Level access to the Stalls is through a double exit door on Wellington Street, left of the five main doors, not the main entrance. The Stalls hold six wheelchair spaces with companion seating, and two accessible toilets sit just inside.
The spaces vary in size and not all take larger chairs, so have your measurements to hand when booking. The accessible toilets are sometimes locked and staff will open them.
The auditorium has an induction loop and an infrared system; headsets and neck loops are handed out on arrival against a deposit or ID. Sennheiser Mobile Connect sends amplified sound to your own phone, and audio-described and captioned performances run on scheduled dates.

FAQs about The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre

What is the story?

Simba, a lion cub, loses his father and is driven into exile. The show follows him growing up and returning to reclaim the throne his uncle Scar took.

How long is the show?

About 2 hours 30 minutes in total, including one 15-minute interval.

What age is the show recommended for?

The production is recommended for ages 6 and over. Children under 3, including babies in arms, are not admitted to the theatre.

Can a young child sit on my lap?

No. Everyone entering the theatre needs their own ticket and seat, whatever their age.

Do teenagers need an adult with them?

Yes. Anyone aged 16 or under has to be accompanied by an adult and cannot sit alone in the auditorium.

What special effects does the show use?

The official notice covers theatrical smoke and fog effects, and strobe lighting during parts of the show.

Why should I arrive early?

Circle of Life opens with full-size animal puppets processing down the Stalls aisles, so it is worth being in your seat before curtain-up.

Can I take photos during the show?

No. Photography and filming are banned inside the auditorium for the whole performance.

Is there a lift at the Lyceum Theatre?

Yes. A lift at the Exeter Street entrance serves every level except the Stalls, though steps remain within each circle. The Stalls are reached instead by the level-access door on Wellington Street.

Where is the step-free seating?

Step-free entry to the Stalls is through a double exit door on Wellington Street, left of the five main doors. There are six wheelchair spaces with companion seating and two accessible toilets just inside.

Which Tube stations are closest?

Covent Garden on the Piccadilly line is about five minutes away, Charing Cross about seven down the Strand, and Temple on the District and Circle lines roughly ten minutes east.

Where can I park?

The venue's listed partner is Q-Park Chinatown on Newport Place, and the discounted rate must be booked online before you arrive; car parks are no longer validated at the theatre. Q-Park Covent Garden on Bedfordbury is a shorter walk.