THE LION KING Rehearsals Halted Due to 'COVID-Enforced Absences'

Rehearsals for The Lion King on the West End have been disrupted due to "Covid-enforced absences", The Stage reports.

The show is still set to reopen in London on July 29, according to a spokeswoman for Disney Theatricals.

"There has been a change to the rehearsal schedule due to Covid-enforced absences but there is currently no change to the opening date," she said.

This comes after several other West End productions have had to be put on pause, including Hairspray which has halted performances, The Prince of Egypt, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella.

Read more on The Stage.

Since the premiere of Julie Taymor's internationally celebrated stage adaptation on Broadway in 1997, The Lion King has entertained more than 100 million theatregoers in 25 productions worldwide. When the show closed its doors on Sunday 15th March 2020 it was the West End's best-selling stage production and the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.

Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, under the direction of Thomas Schumacher, The Lion King has made theatrical history, with six productions worldwide running for 15 or more years. The musical uses breathtaking masks and puppetry to create pure theatrical magic. At its heart is the powerful and moving story of Simba - the epic adventure of his journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands.

Plans to reopen The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre on 29 July 2021 have been made in accordance with the Government's latest directives, are therefore subject to change and are made on the understanding that social distancing guidelines will be withdrawn to allow full capacity audiences. The live entertainment industry continues to seek support for contingency insurance to be made available in the event of any further unscheduled closures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Performances at the Lyceum Theatre, London are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.thelionking.co.uk / 0800 912 6971. Booking until 3rd April 2022 for individuals and 22nd October 2022 for groups.