Since opening in 1997, 24 global productions of The Lion King have been seen by more than 100 million people in over 100 cities in 20 countries, on every continent except Antarctica, and its worldwide gross exceeds that of any entertainment title in box office history and is the West End’s best-selling stage production and the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time.
Shaun Escoffery and George Asprey, who play Mufasa and Scar in Disney’s The Lion King in the West End, both celebrated their 15th anniversary in the landmark production, making them the longest-serving performers in the roles in any production of The Lion King respectively.
We were fortunate enough to catch up with them about the journey they have both been on in this mammoth West End show.
Firstly, a massive congratulations on your 15th anniversary in The Lion King. How does it feel to have reached this huge milestone?
George Asprey: Slightly surreal. It’s not a case of celebrating longevity because you only ever take one song at a time. It’s more like an accumulation because you’re only ever as good as your last show but now all of a sudden we've had fifteen years of the show.
Shaun Escoffery: It’s a wonderful honour. I look back at myself and my partner in crime George with fondness and gratitude. We never dreamed we’d be doing this show for fifteen years. I feel extremely lucky to be able to do something we love with consistency. We are both aware of the huge responsibility that we have.
