Lyceum Theatre Partners With Picturepath, a Visual Timeline App for Those With Additional Needs

The Lyceum Theatre, part of Ambassadors Theatre Group, today announces a partnership with picturepath. The visual timeline app will support people with additional needs, such as autism, to experience Disney’s The Lion King. Dedicated to improving accessibility and inclusivity in theatre, The Lion King is the first West End theatre production to offer this service to audience members.

For audiences who find new experiences and visiting new venues stressful, picturepath provides an exact step-by-step digital guide to visiting the iconic Lyceum Theatre. This allows them to know exactly what to expect, in order to prepare ahead of time and reduce anxieties.

Founder of picturepath, Richard Nurse said: “I’m delighted to work with the Lyceum theatre, home to The Lion King, to provide a mobile visitor guide that allows people with autism or other sensory needs to prepare for and enjoy their experiences at the theatre with reduced anxiety. 

We started with guides for football stadia, so to expand to museums, and now theatres means we can support even more people to experience inclusive live events and new environments.”

Tamsin Newberry, General Manager, Ambassadors Theatre Group said “We are constantly striving to ensure as many people as possible can come and experience the joy, and spectacle of The Lion King. Picturepath allows us to take this a step further, to not only look after our audiences in the space but also before they arrive. 

It’s a pleasure to be able to offer that additional support, and we’re delighted to partner with the picturepath team.”

THE LION KING also conducts relaxed performances on the West End and on tour. These performances have been specially adapted to be accessible to a wide range of audiences such as those with autism, those with a learning disability or anyone with a sensory predisposition. There is extra trained staff on hand and dedicated quiet areas inside the theatres should anyone need to leave their seat. For more information on dates, and to view the visual story and sensory synopsis please visit the website.

About The Lion King

Since the UK premiere in 1999, The Lion King London has entertained more than 18 million theatre goers at its home at the Lyceum Theatre and is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time. 

The story of The Lion King roars into life using 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.

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 (English, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Dutch, Spanish, Mandarin and Portuguese). The Lion King is produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher. 

The stunning artistry of the production is the work of a team of designers which drew on diverse cultural influences to recreate the rich colours and vast expanses of the African savanna in this daring and inspiring reinvention of one of the most successful animated feature films of all time. 

Julie Taymor, one of the world’s most innovative directors, brought a vast array of disciplines to The Lion King, including extensive experience staging epic theatre and opera productions, exploring classic myths through ritualised puppetry, mask, and movement. The Lion King was the first musical Taymor directed in the commercial theatre and she made Broadway history by becoming the first woman to win the Tony Award® for Best Director of a Musical.   

The Broadway show’s full creative team, which won five Tony Awards® for its work on The Lion King, reunited in 1999 to recreate the show in London. Julie Taymor and Michael Curry created hundreds of masks and puppets. 

Scenic design is by British designer Richard Hudson and lighting is by Donald Holder. Costume design is by Julie Taymor, and choreography by Garth Fagan. The book was adapted by Roger Allers, who co-directed the animated feature and Irene Mecchi, who co-wrote the screenplay. 

The original score from the animated film was expanded for the stage and now features 15 musical numbers.  As well as writing completely new songs, South African composer Lebo M created an evocative blend of African rhythms and chorales, with additional material by Julie Taymor and Mark Mancina. 

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 resulting sound of The Lion King is a fusion of Western popular music and the distinctive sounds and rhythms of Africa, including the Academy Award®-winning Can You Feel The Love Tonight and the haunting Shadowland. 

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