Actor Brian Blessed portrays the role of bacteria “brilliantly” in a new exhibition about animals in London, the exhibition’s curator said.
Beasts Of London is an immersive experience that takes visitors through a history of the capital, using animations voiced by a cast of famous faces including model Kate Moss to tell the story from an animal’s perspective.
The I, Claudius star’s distinctive tones voice the plague in the Museum of London exhibition.
Senior Curator Francis Marshall told the Press Association: “It gives a further element of connection and familiarity.
“Brian Blessed as the bacteria, when you consider that one of the main animal characters is a lion, the easy cast would to have been to put Blessed as the lion.
“But, in fact, it’s kind of inspired to put him as the bacteria and he pulls it off brilliantly.
“Then again, I have to say that Kate Moss pulls off the fox brilliantly.”
Supermodel Moss lends her voice to Foxy, as “one of the remaining wild beasts that still walks among us modern Londoners”.
The 45-year-old’s recognisable tones tell visitors of the fox’s “strong perfume”, adding: “It’s unusual to come face to face with a wild beast.”
Visitors are shown the role animals have played in shaping the city, from prehistoric mammoths to 21st century pets.
Comedian Joe Pasquale voices the dormouse opposite Matilda’s Pam Ferris as the eagle in Roman London.
Angellica Bell lends her voice to the rat, used for entertainment during the times of animal baiting, with Stephen Mangan and Nish Kumar representing the horses of London.
The remainder of the animals are voiced by actors from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Marshall added: “In this kind of environment using (celebrity narration) is unusual, but in cinema it obviously isn’t.
“We’re interested in working with prominent Londoners and we were lucky enough to engage these guys.”
Working in partnership with the Guildhall School, the nine episodes use video mapping technology to tell a story inspired by an artefact from the museum.
Dan Shorten, creative director for Beasts Of London and video production lead at Guildhall School, said they wanted to remain sensitive to the museum environment.
He said: “Each room has had its own process.
“The one thing we knew we weren’t ever going to be trying to do was to make (the animations) feel very real.
“It always needed to be one step removed from reality because we’re trying to take you into this other worldly place.”
The exhibition opens on April 5 and will run until January 2020.