The Lion King To Tour The UK

West end smash hit show The Lion King will begin a UK tour later this year beginning in Bristol from September.

Starting at the Bristol Hippodrome, The Lion King will play an 11-week season from 6th September to 17th November before travelling to the Palace Theatre in Manchester for Christmas, opening on 6th December and running through until 31st March 2013.

After four years in the planning, the Disney Theatrical Group have announced today 6th February 2012 that the show will tour with a company cast of 52 to ten UK cities and Ireland over the next two and a half years

with dates and locations for engagements past Manchester still to be announced.

Based on Disney's 1994 animated movie, the stage show opened at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre in November 1997 and transferred to the West End in 1999, opening at the Lyceum Theatre on 19th October 1999.

In a press statement about the UK tour, the Disney Theatrical Group president Thomas Schumacher said: "Following years of planning, and after receiving the counsel of some very smart friends in the British theatre world, we are delighted to be launching a production that conveys Julie Taymor's epic vision and at a moment that feels absolutely right."

There are currently 19 global productions of The Lion King, with the show having been seen by more than 65 million people in 15 countries across five continents, however this will be the first time the show has hit the road in the UK.


The LIon King features a musical score of 15 songs, including five from the film as well as new songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, with additional numbers by South African-born Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Hans Zimmer and Julie Taymor.

Tickets for the production's dates in Bristol will be available on Monday 22nd February and shows for Manchester will go on sale on 27th February 2012.   Lion King tickets for the London production are currently available to purchase securely through this website.