ENERGETIC, athletic, mesmerising. Totally roarsome.

So much has already been said about Disney’s The Lion King there is little more to add and it is difficult to do justice to the magnificent production currently being enjoyed by audiences at the Sunderland Empire.

The internationally acclaimed production started its seven-week run on Thursday, March 16 and ends on Saturday, May 6.

The show first visited Sunderland Empire in 2014 and it is the only theatre in the North East currently hosting this spectacular show and judging by the enthusiastic sell-out audience on a cold Tuesday night, it’s wowing as much now as it did nine years ago.

The story centres around a kingdom of lions in Africa and Simba, a lion cub who is expected to succeed his father as King of the Pride Lands.

The use of stunning costumes, masks and puppets are hypnotic and I struggled to highlight any one character as each played their own part to perfection.

The Lion King is the sixth longest-running West End musical of all time and Elton John and Tim Rice have added three new numbers to the five that they wrote for the award-winning score of the animated film.

I’ve seen The Lion King numerous times and on each occasion, I notice something I hadn’t recognised before.

And I certainly don’t think it will be the last time I’m singing the Circle of Life on repeat.

For more information, you can visit:thelionking.co.uk/tour