
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Young Vic
- Opens: Wednesday, 3 December 2025 -
Booking until: Saturday, 31 January 2026
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo description
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo stars Olivier and BAFTA award-winner David Threlfall.
You're an atheist. You die... and bingo, you're still walking around the streets. It looks like there's some serious re-evaluation on the cards. This dark comedy of a high-octane play explores the futility of war and questions the very nature of our existence.
The place is twenty first century Iraq, where a fast-talking tiger haunts the streets, desperate to find out why he's here. And he isn't the only one. America might have vanquished Saddam Hussein, but Baghdad is still on fire, and chaos reigns. When US Marines Tom and Kev meet the Iraqi translator Musa after their own encounter with the tiger, it turns out that the men and the beast are searching for meaning, revenge, forgiveness... and a priceless golden loo seat.
Writer Rajiv Joseph’s black comedy attracted several Tony nominations. The Broadway run made it a Pulitzer Prize finalist, and this is the play's European premiere, brought to life at the Young Vic with epic direction by Omar Elerian.
Starring the Olivier and BAFTA award-winning David Threlfall (Hangmen, Shameless), Olivier Award-nominee Arinzé Kene (Alterations, Misty), Ammar Haj Ahmad (The Jungle) and Hala Omran (I Medea), Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo is wonderfully surreal. The Set and Costume Designer is Rajha Shakiry, with Lighting Design by Jackie Shemesh, Sound Design from Elena Peña, Casting Direction by Heather Basten CDG and Costume Supervision from Male Arcucci. The Associate Designer is Yimei Zhao.
Tickets for Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo whisk you away into a surreal world where you'll find yourself asking the same fundamental question as the play: “why am I here”.
Playing at Young Vic
Age restrictions
Ages 14+.
Important information
This show contains: Guns & gunshots, Strong language including homophobic and racist slurs, Sexual content including discussion of sexual assault and depictions of sex work, Suicide and self-harm, War, murder, injury, violence and torture