Theatre and zoos are not two worlds you would normally expect to meet yet at London Zoo’s latest The Lion King Exhibition the connection feels surprisingly natural. Few musicals blur the line between theatre and wildlife quite like The Lion King so London Zoo felt like the perfect home for this exhibition.
Nestled in a tent near the entrance to London Zoo is the exhibition itself. Within the exhibition we see costumes including Simba, Nala, Zazu, Mufasa and Rafiki, get up close to the huge wildebeest masks, learn how some of the puppetry such as the zebras work as well as learn about and even touch materials from costumes and masks used in the show. Beside each item is a fascinating description about not only the costume itself but its cultural roots and how it works in practise on the stage. Seeing the costumes up close reveals details that are easily missed from the auditorium, the intricate beading on Nala’s costume and on the other end of the scale the sheer size of the wildebeest masks.
As you move through the exhibition, it becomes clear that this partnership extends far beyond the obvious connection of lions appearing both on stage and in the zoo. London zoo goes deeper than simply the animals you can visit but plays a huge role in conservation including taking this globally and working with communities as they do so. Equally the Lion King Musical embraces African culture, from elements of Nala’s and Mufasa’s costumes, the use of African puppetry traditions for the Wilder beast through to the basis of Rafiki’s character and how their costume reflects a sangoma, a spiritual healer and shaman from Southern Africa. The collaboration feels genuinely meaningful rather than purely promotional.
I was also incredibly lucky when I was there to be privy to a talk by Toby Otieno and Jeneria Lekilelei about the Ewaso Lions, a 100% Kenyan wildlife conservation organisation dedicated to the conversation of lions and working on the promotion of co-existence of people and wildlife. They have built key groups from their warriors, to their women’s group the Mama Simbas through to children with their Lion Kids Camp. Both Toby and Jeneria have fascinating stories from their work with Ewaso Lions, from the complexities behind why compensation for killed livestock is not always the answer, through to the lengths the children would go to in order to be part of Lion Kids Camp. You can find out more about the Ewaso Lions on their website here.
Entrance into the exhibition is included within your zoo entrance price. Of course whilst you are there you can check out what else the zoo has to offer, including real life lions, giraffes, zebras and warthogs. There is plenty to see across the zoo from the animals that appear in the Lion King through to a butterfly enclosure or a rainforest enclosure with sloths climbing past you as a bat whizzes past in the other direction.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan of The Lion King or simply curious about the artistry behind one of the worlds most successful musicals the exhibition offers a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain. Combined with the wider conservation work that is taking place at London Zoo, it creates an experience that celebrates not only the animals that inspired the show but also the cultures, communities and conservation efforts that continue to protect them.
You can find out more about the exhibition and London Zoo here. You can also book tickets to see The Lion King Show here.
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