When Simba, muscles a-ripple, prowls the London stage serenading the stars, it's impossible to tell that actually he's from Soshanguve.
Brian Themba Makiwane is, in fact, he proudly tells me after a Sunday matinee performance of The Lion King at London's Lyceum Theatre, the first South African, in the musical's 10-year history, to be cast as Simba. The count for the female lead of Rafiki is 11.
The young singer and actor's adoration of everything American - he has the accent to prove it - adds to the impression that he is not a homeboy. With his long dreads (not visible in his performance) he could pass for a rapper, but he is an R'nB man who dabbles in producing and is highly critical of instant emcees.
As the conversation gets going with fellow exports Umlazi's Brown Lindiwe Mkhize, from the original Amsterdam company, who sets the Lyceum stage alight with Rafiki's spirituality and KwaMashu's Mabonga Khumalo, one of the original members of the West End ensemble since 1999, the homesickness surfaces.
To remedy their yearning the trio, and some of the other cast members from Mzansi (the current total is eight), have braais.
Although they're very proud of the fact that this Disney musical introduces isiZulu words and expressions to audiences from Putney to Knightsbridge (not excluding the national and global tourists) at these get togethers they speak their native tongue and "reminisce about the old days".
It was fascinating to realise that these musical theatre pros weren't trained at any university. Between them they either gained experience as gospel singers at church, with Joyous Celebration, and/or learned the ropes with Mbongeni Ngema.
They are fierce custodians of their cultural traditions which they have great pride in sharing with multicultural audiences. Adding to their isolation from the motherland is the fact that compatriots never come backstage. At one performance Brown Mkhize was shocked, and delighted, to hear a "Yebo" being called out in response.
London is their home, but they try to come home every two years. On Makiwane's last visit he was touting his R'nB album single, A Part of Me. He grew up hearing R'nB and was highly irritated when he was told this musical genre wasn't African enough.
Mabongwa, whose Committed Artist's credentials started with Ngema's Township Fever and whose voice is on the original soundtrack recording of The Lion King, joined in with stories about musicians being rejected at home for the same reasons and "Boom!" they make it as African artists abroad. "It should be about the music, all music."
They all feel strongly about the need for performing artists, "those with and without international profiles", to be recognised and respected at home "I don't want to blow my own horn," stresses Makiwane, "but we need to be recognised just like the British and Americans (are in South Africa)".
Equally, they are incensed that icons the calibre of the late Gibson Kente and Mbongeni Ngema aren't honoured with the equivalent of MBEs and OBEs - while they are still alive. They are excited and intrigued about the 10th anniversary production, with an all-South African cast which opens the Montecasino Teatro on June 6 - "It just shows that South Africa has hot talent."
The two men are very supportive of, and complimentary about, Mkhize, who radiates authenticity in the sangoma-esque role of Rafiki.
"She brings her own flavour," is the satisfied verdict.
That's not surprising because, young as she is, she did her time in Mbongeni Ngema's Academy of Performing Arts, appearing in musicals from 1996 to 2004.
Among her credits are The Zulu, Maria Maria, Stimela sase Zola and the disastrous 2004 collaboration, Sing Africa Dance.
"People will recognise me," she says gently. "Now I've got The Lion King they don't know where I am. They are supposed to support us."
"It seems we are outsiders at home," they agree sadly. Maybe that anonymity will change now that there is a reference point with the Teatro Company. Perhaps the public (and the media) will realise just what the hefty number of homegrown performers have achieved over the years from Broadway to the West End, and in-between in Amsterdam, Hamburg, Shanghai, Sydney, Toronto and from October, in Paris.
Talk about export gold.