The Lion King, Lyceum Theatre *****

Disney films are truly magical. They have a unique quality of fully transporting me to a safe, exiting and comforting world which, for all the Jafaars, Scars and Hades, there are the Aladdins, Simbas and Hercules' that save the day, creating a film that I can watch at any time and just feel warm and cosy. Julie Taymor has managed to do something truly special which is to create a timeless spectacle that contains the cosy feeling of the movies whilst also experimenting and challenging our notion of what theatre is. The Lion King isn't just your bog standard musical. Like Bend it Like Beckham, it fuses two musical cultures sublimely without being insulting or insensitive. Richard Hudson creates a world of colour and life through his scenic designs which doesn't need to be intricate or detailed to look truly stunning. Taymor's costume design is the true beauty of the show, with elephants, giraffes, antelopes, lions and a host of animals from the African savanna coming to life through intelligent design and construction. Elton John's music is timeless and is always just a joy to listen to. Performances are great across the board, especially from the young Simba and Nala who managed to maintain their enthusiasm and professionalism in an extremely technically difficult show to run. Unlike other long running musicals, I can't see this one from losing its power to take your breathe away in what is a musical that is in a league of it's own.