South African stars roar in London

I unconsciously started mouthing the words and singing along to the songs.

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I watched the production with more intent as I sought more South Africanness. It was exquisite in the way the stage transformed scene after scene - from the colour and vibrant duet between young Simba and Nala in I Just Can't Wait to be King, to the chilling moment Scar drops Mufasa to his death as drums throbbed and as Simba transitions from cub to lion with his two new companions, Timon and Pumbaa. It was not just a visual or auditory treat, but an emotional experience and to have South Africans playing key characters was notable given the variety of stage shows produced in London, including classics such as Moulin Rouge and Hamilton.

"With The Lion King, it’s very specific. South Africans need to be in the show because it’s rooted in our culture and heritage. It's not just the London company productions all over the world need that South African sound, because much of the singing is in our languages. That authenticity is vital," said Nofemele.

"You don’t see this in many other shows, but because South Africans are so integral to The Lion King, it’s important that the sound remains authentically South African. While many performers have been fortunate enough to branch out into principal roles, the foundation was always about that distinctive South African vocal quality.

"It ensures the show sounds authentic and is properly represented, which is why there is such a strong South African presence in the production."

There are 15 South African crew members in the production, this includes members of the ensemble and actors playing main characters in the story. Simba is played by Hope Maine, originally from Matlosana in the North West, Pumbaa is played by Pierre Van Heerdan from Cape Town, Ed is played by Mark Tatham from Johannesburg and Nofemele originally from Bloemfontein takes the role as Rafiki.