Lion King exhibition to City Art Centre
Exploring the Lion King to spend 15 weeks in Edinburgh
Nala and Simba masks in the Exploring the Lion King exhibition
By Thom Dibdin
A free exhibition about the making of Disney’s The Lion King musical is to be displayed at the City Art Centre from Saturday 15 September for a 15 week run.
The exhibition, Exploring the Lion King, reveals the inspiration and evolution behind the musical, and incorporates many of the costumes, masks and puppets which have become iconic since the show first opened on Broadway in 1997.
Councillor Richard Lewis, culture convenor for the city council, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting Exploring the Lion King at the City Art Centre this autumn. There’s been a huge amount of excitement surrounding the arrival of Disney’s musical since it was announced earlier this year that it would be coming to the Edinburgh Playhouse.
“The exhibition will be the perfect complement to the much-loved stage show and is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to see the beautiful costumes and puppets up close and in the most ideal venue in the city.”
The interactive exhibition will give visitors the opportunity to discover – through sketches, original models, film and photography – how acclaimed director and designer Julie Taymor, along with the rest of the show’s creative team, conceived and created the original adaptation of Disney’s much-loved 1994 animated feature.
Zazu costume and mask is part of the Exploring the Lion King exhibition.
Taymor already had the reputation of being a hugely innovative director when she was hired by Disney. She brought a vast array of disciplines to the show, including her extensive experience in staging epic theatre and opera productions, as well as exploring classic myths through ritualised puppetry, mask, and movement.
It was the first musical she directed in the commercial theatre, and she became the first woman to win the Tony Award for ‘Best Director of a Musical. She made prominent use of African tribal design and masks with Balinese puppetry and movement.
The exhibition is timed to coincide with the arrival of The Lion King at the Edinburgh Playhouse, where it will be playing from Friday 11 October to Saturday 18 January 2018. Details on the Playhouse website on: www.atgtickets.com
Entry to Exploring the Lion King is free. It is open daily, 10am-5pm (Sunday: noon-5pm).
City Art Centre, 2 Market Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DE
Phone: 0131 529 3993. www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk
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