TRAVEL REVIEW: That circle of life is still unbroken

I WAS only nine years old when I first watched Simba hunt the gazelles across a London West End theatre.

Sixteen years on and The Lion King still has the capacity to startle, amaze, delight, and move in one of the most human shows ever brought to production.

And the present cast, handpicked from around the planet, are as impressive as ever. From the oft-repeated first line of Zulu from Circle of Life – ‘Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba’ – to the bumbling romp of the Swahili Hakuna Matata at the end of the first act, to the gangly bow of the precarious giraffes in the finale, The Lion King is drenched with a colour and life that vibrates around the 18th century auditorium with gusto.

As if the drama of the story and the rhythm of the score could do anything but stir the spirit, stunning choreography leaps the hit musical to another level as performers bound across the stage in a powerful dance showcase, from mimicking the graceful stalk of the cheetah and the bouncy exuberance of a herd of startled zebra, to the mischievous curiosity of the baboon, Rafiki.

Hand-made costumes enable some of the world’s most talented performers to embody a host of animal characters in an unprecedented osmosis of character and actor – their bare faces reminding captivated audiences the story at heart is an ancient one, about a boy who wants to make his father proud.

In a kingdom of lions in Africa, the birth of Simba, the cub of king Mufasa and his queen, Sarabi, unseats Mufasa’s younger and jealous brother, Scar, as heir to the throne. As Simba begins to grow into a strong and feisty cub, Scar plots to kill his brother and nephew. After several failed attempts Mufasa is finally killed in a stampede, but Simba escapes, and, blaming himself for his father’s death, takes up with a flatulent water hog, Pumbaa(corr), and cowardly meerkat, Timon.

In the peaceful quiet of the forest Simba grows to manhood, with little thought of his pride, while Scar and an army of hyenas destroy his homeland.

Eventually, his betrothed childhood friend Nala stumbles upon Simba, and realising he is alive, persuades him to return him and take up his rightful place as king.

As part of fulfilling director Julie Taymor’s internationally-acclaimed adaptation of Disney’s beloved film animation, every movement, sound, and colour is saturated with the concept of a circle of life.

No expense is spared when it comes to detail, from Nala’s bridal make-up to carefully chosen African tribal patterns in the hand-beaded markings of the lionesses, every marking, scrape, dot of colour has been lovingly researched and nurtured into life.

Since October 1999 the show has entertained more than 12 million theatregoers since it first opened at the Lyceum Theatre, and continues to be the West End's biggest selling-stage production.

It is also the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time, and made Taymor the first woman in history to win the Tony Award for ’Best Director of a Musical’.

THE HOTEL

Walking through the doors of the One Aldwych Hotel was like being welcomed to the definition of chic sophistication, and it quickly became clear it wasn’t going to be any ordinary hotel-and-show London stop-over.

The five-star hotel, nestled just a stone’s throw from Covent Garden, sports a range of different facilities to luxuriate guests, from a discreet private lounge and tranquil spa to a cosmopolitan cocktail bar rated by the Sunday Telegraph as one of the top five in London.

Welcomed by friendly and thoughtful staff, the understated glamour continued even in our deluxe room for two, with discreet wardrobes to store our travel clothes and muted, smooth finished surfaces in the expansive bathroom.

Most impressive, however, was the quiet. Even in the heart of the country’s capital all we could hear were the soft croons of the getting-ready music we played from the hide-away stereo-system.

After checking in and exploring the crevices of our temporary home, Becky and I’s first impulse was to take a splash in the Health Club’s 18m chlorine-free swimming pool. A hub of tranquillity, we spent an hour breathlessly admiring the underwater music, and dipping in and out of the sauna and steam rooms before returning to our rooms to prepare for dinner.

During our visit the hotel’s Indigo restaurant was closed for refurbishment, so we were shown to the Axis restaurant, a space normally reserved for events and conferences.

Like the rest of the hotel, the high-ceilinged space was minimally decorated, with the main focal point being a tall row of wooden poles creating the illusion of a bamboo forest.

We enjoyed a glass of the house red before perusing the menu chosen by Executive Chef Dominic Teague, whose aim is to respect traditional British cuisine courted with gentle invention.

From hand-rolled gnocci with pumpkin, sage and spinach (£16) to 28-day dry-aged rib-eye Denham Vale steak with slow-roasted tomatoes, chips and beamaise sauce (£27), the restaurant's offerings could not fail to satisfy even the fussiest of taste buds.

To start, I opted for the Rhug Estate pork with, sea purslane, crackling and truffle emulsion (£12). It arrived, lovingly adorned with pansies in a delicate dish of salty, crispy crackling nourished by the creamy truffle emulsion.

Meanwhile, Becky enjoyed the chicken liver parfait with winter fruit chutney and toasted brioche (£11).

For my main, I readily tucked into a juicy pot roasted Guinea fowl with fondant potato which harmonised with the roasted shallot and Madeira jus (£19) in a hearty and fulfilling course.

Becky enjoyed a rustically flavoursome portion of braised beef cheek in red wine and port with creamed potato and pancetta (£19).

Although we could barely touch another morsel, we couldn’t resist the slender offerings of dessert once the menu was returned to us.

We rounded off our meal with a zesty orange polenta cake with pistachio parfait and a creamy chocolate mousse with honeycombs and vanilla ice cream. (no price given)

The following morning, after a deep and restful sleep behind black-out blinds, we returned to the Axis bright and early before checking out and continuing out adventure in the Big Smoke.

After hearing how One Aldwych was awards a Visit Britain 2014 breakfast award we knew we could expect big things from our morning meal, and we were not disappointed.

While Becky chose scrambled eggs and toast (£6.50) washed down with freshly squeezed orange juice, I indulged myself with smoked salmon and scrambled eggs with toasted brioche (£15).

The eggs arrived, steaming and golden yellow, on a bed of fresh and salty smoked salmon, muted by the sweet and crisp slice of soft brioche.

We were both well set up for our journey home.

TRAVEL FACTS

One Aldwych Hotel

Aldwych, London, WC2B 4BZ

Tel. 020 7300 1000

www.onealdwych.com

Prices start at £325 per night for an Aldwych room to £1,080 for the Dome Suite. Deluxe rooms are available from £450.

Axis at One Aldwych

One Aldwych Hotel, London, WC2B 4BZ

Tel. 020 7300 0400

www.onealdwych.com/food-drink

Open: Mon to Sun, 6.30am to 11am

for breakfast, 12pm to 12.45pm for

lunch, 5.30pm to 10.15pm

for dinner.

V&A panel

Becky and I rounded off our theatrical visit to the Big Smoke with a tour around the Victoria and Albert Museum, which hosts a collection of costume handed down from theatres over the centuries.

We explored the costumes - including several from The Lion King - as well as the other exhibits of art and sculpture housed in the historical building.

Th museum is also currently home to a special exhibit on fashion designer Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty until August 2.