Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo at Young Vic Review
Written by Becky K for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
Marking its European debut, Omar Elerian brings Ravi Joseph’s ‘Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo’ to the Young Vic. Compounded by a last-minute cast change of Kathryn Hunter standing in as the Tiger due to illness, Elerian’s revival of Jospeh’s dark comedy remains deeply poignant.
Set in war-torn Iraq that has been devastated by years of conflict following US invasion, a ghost of a tiger (Hunter) prowls the streets of Baghdad. Killed after biting off the hand of a military officer, the tiger is left wondering… ‘why here?’. With the narrative following US marines Tom (Patrick Gibson) and Kev (Arinzé Kene), along with their translator caught in the middle (Amman Haj Ahmad), they become haunted themselves by the tiger and other souls from the war as the drama becomes more surreal, unsettling and existential.
Jospeh’s text interrogates the meaning of existence in all forms, with each character on their own quest to find meaning, revenge, forgiveness and fortune through their interactions with the afterlife. These interactions are where most of the humour in the script lies. The intensity Kene illustrates with guilt-ridden Kev is contrasted with Hunter’s blasé and matter-of-fact tiger, while grieving translator Musa is haunted by the upbeat ghost of Saddam Hussein’s son. The dead confront the alive, questioning their true feelings and motivations for their increasingly erratic behaviours, blurring the lines between human and animalistic behaviours of desire and survival.
The quality of the production is outstanding. Rajha Shakiry’s set consists of crumbling concrete, sandbags and dust, providing a detailed backdrop for striking visuals throughout. Jackie Shemesh’s lighting design blends warm and cold tones, merging life and death as the text itself does. Likewise, the props collected by Kate Margrett - including a soiled severed head and rich fake blood - made for some brilliantly horrific imagery, which altogether provides an exciting variety throughout.
It’s the performances from individuals that make the show. Haj Ahmad plays Musa with a tortured delicacy, depicting the paradoxical ostracism faced by others in equivalent roles in real life; exploited by their US employers and banished from their community as a result. However, it’s Hunter’s tiger that shines. Only rehearsing days before as a last-minute stand-in for David Threfall, Hunter’s performance is bold and unflinching, making a stark commentary on the human condition in the style of a casual rockstar. The way she roared the final monologue, which describes animals visiting the zoo to view people, is spine tingling, leaving a distinct lasting impression of the show.
Performing at the Young Vic until 31 January 2026, Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is ultimately a show that explores the experience of war, yet taps into much more. The human and the existential merge to create a truly striking and thought-provoking piece of theatre. Perhaps needing multiple visits to get the most out of its rich concept, Elerian is successful in creating tumultuous light and shade to Joseph’s totally abstract text.
★ ★ ★ ★
