Victoria Falls Theatre: what to expect

Where the theatre is

The Victoria Falls Theatre stands at Elephants Walk, in the centre of the town of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side of the border with Zambia. It is a small open-air theatre of fewer than 200 seats, and Simunye: The Spirit of Africa is staged there by the Victoria Falls Theatre Company. Wikipedia describes the town's central historic district as the home of its oldest hotels, restaurants and bars, so the theatre sits in the part of town where an evening out is easiest to organise. The production's own site gives the same address and calls the theatre intimate. Elephants Walk is the address on both pages, so give it to any taxi driver as your destination.

Getting there and back

The booking page says taxis are available to and from the theatre and that public transport is nearby. Transfers are not part of the ticket, so arrange your own ride at both ends. If you are flying in, Wikipedia places Victoria Falls Airport 18 km south of the town. For the evening itself, a taxi is the simple choice, and it is worth fixing your return before the show rather than hunting for one in the dark afterwards. Keep the driver's number if you can, in case your plans shift. Walking is only sensible if you are staying in the centre and are comfortable on the streets after dark; otherwise a taxi is the better choice.

Arriving early

The booking page asks guests to arrive a half hour or more ahead of the start. Treat that as a minimum. Check the start time for your night in the calendar and on your confirmation rather than relying on memory or a travel blog. Arriving early gives you time to find the entrance, collect a drink and settle in. It also leaves time to put your phone away before the show begins. Allow a little extra if you are travelling from a lodge outside the centre. Keep your confirmation open on your phone or print it; it repeats the start time.

Drinks and food

Drinks are on sale at the theatre, and you can take them into the performance when the show starts. The ticket carries no meal, so eat before or after. Wikipedia says the central historic district holds the town's oldest hotels, restaurants and bars, so the choice is wide and close at hand. If you plan to eat after the show, allow for the time spent on stage with the cast, which can run to roughly 20 to 30 minutes, and tell the restaurant you may arrive later than the show's end suggests. Tell the restaurant you may arrive later than the show's end suggests.

What to wear and bring

The theatre is open-air, so you are outdoors for the whole hour. Bring a light layer in case the evening cools, and wear shoes you can walk in. The CDC lists malaria transmission across Zimbabwe and advises covering exposed skin and using a repellent with 20% or more DEET or another listed active ingredient. Speak to a doctor or travel clinic before your trip about malaria medicine; this guide cannot give medical advice. A small bag is enough, since you will not need much. Keep your repellent in the bag rather than at the hotel, and apply it before you sit, because the hour is spent still and outdoors.

A sample evening

A simple plan runs like this. Take an early dinner in town, or leave dinner until later. Travel to Elephants Walk by taxi so that you are there half an hour early. Buy a drink, find your seat and wait for the performance. Watch about an hour of puppetry, dance and music. Stay for the photos with the cast if you wish, which can take roughly 20 to 30 minutes. Then take a taxi back or walk into the centre for a late meal. The calendar gives the real start time for your night. The only fixed points are your seat and that start time. With children, an early dinner suits the short running time.

The hour on stage

Simunye combines puppetry, dance, music and visuals, performed by local professional artists. The story follows Bomani, cast out from the Kimba tribe, as he wanders the African hinterland in search of home with his loyal elephant friend, Ndlovu. The performance runs for about an hour. The programme can vary between nights, so read this as an outline of the production, not a promise of any scene, song or puppet on your date. The production's own description stresses love and community as its theme. The production's own site describes the cast as local professional artists and credits a creative team.

Read next: Simunye's story: Bomani and Ndlovu

Children, prams and access

Wheelchair access is listed for the show; prams and strollers are fine for infants and small children; and the show is marked suitable for all physical fitness levels. Service animals are allowed. Infants are required to sit on an adult's lap. The production's own site is the place to check any age guidance for older children. A short hour suits many families. If you are travelling with a baby, bring what you need for an hour, since the performance will not pause. Prams and strollers are welcome, so the little ones' gear can come with you. Wheelchair users and families with prams should allow a little extra time to get into the theatre.

After the show

When the performance ends, guests are welcomed on stage to take photos with the cast. This takes roughly 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how many people want one. If you have a taxi waiting or a dinner booked, tell them to expect you later. Once the photos are done, taxis are available near the theatre, and the centre of town is close enough that many visitors simply carry on to a restaurant or bar. There is no obligation to stay for the photographs, and you can leave when the show ends. Keep your belongings with you while you wait for a picture.

The falls by day, the theatre by night

Simunye pairs well with a day on the falls. Wikipedia gives the falls as 1,708 m wide and 108 m high, which UNESCO listed in 1989 under the names Mosi-oa-Tunya and Victoria Falls. The Zimbabwean side is protected as Victoria Falls National Park, which covers 23 km². A morning at the falls and an evening in the theatre make a balanced day, with the show as the quiet end rather than another thing to rush to. Leave the middle of the day free for rest. Wikipedia notes that the town on the Zimbabwean shore became the main tourist centre for the falls, and that Mosi-oa-Tunya, the Lozi name, translates as the smoke that thunders.

Read next: A Victoria Falls day, then Simunye

Who this isn't for

If you want a meal built into the evening, this is not it. If you want a loud, large-scale show, the small open-air theatre and the one-hour running time will feel modest. And if you cannot sit outdoors in the evening for an hour, because of the weather or because of insects, consider a daytime activity instead. For everyone else, the evening is a simple, low-effort addition to a stay at the falls, and a way to hear a story in the voices of local performers. It is also not a replacement for a visit to the falls themselves, and it is not a daytime activity: the show is an evening production in an open-air theatre.