Hatshepsut: The Woman Who Would Be King

Actually, she was king (sort of). This “groundbreaking immersive show” covers the life of Hatshepsut (c. 1507–1458 BCE), the fifth Pharaoh of Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty – ruling first as regent to her stepson Thutmose III, then as queen regnant. She dressed and behaved much like a man in order to keep the court and the priests on side (hence presumably the reference to ‘king’). Famously her reign was a period of great prosperity and peace, and of major building (like the Karnak Temple Complex and her own Mortuary Temple at Deir el-Bahari). After her death most of her images were destroyed and references to her erased; ain’t that always the way?

So there should be lots of material for this show, which features 270-degree wall and floor projections and the promise that “you’ll be transported to the heart of the empire, experiencing the customs, beliefs, and traditions that shaped Hatshepsut’s rule … in a captivating and unforgettable experience”.

The show lasts about 30 minutes and there are slots throughout the day between 10am and 8.30pm from 15 January to 18 February.