I have been a massive fan of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia since I was 10 years old, having read the entire series multiple times and was therefore intrigued but also incredibly anxious to see how this both widely and personally beloved novel would be adapted for the stage. I am relieved to say that this stage adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe perfectly captured the childish wonder of the book.
I was put in mind instantly of the quiet, resilient hope that would have lingered in the air of 1940 London. First with a lone pianist in the night playing gentle, hopeful tunes before a grand old-timey clocktower before I had even found my seat, but then even more so when the play started with a rendition of Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again (1939) from the ensemble. What was most striking to me was that the band were more than just a behind the scenes orchestra but rather performers, actors themselves in period dress (and later dressed up as a variety of Narnia’s ‘talking beasts’), creeping in towards the action during moments of tension to make the stage feel smaller before silently slipping into the shadows as the moment passes. Even their instruments were props for the actors to interact with, whether it was a piano to hide behind as the bells of the White Witch’s (Katy Stephens) sleigh are heard or a double bass spinning as the cat, ‘Schoedinger’ (Andrew Davidson) knocks past it while entering a scene. This creativity with props astounded me throughout the performance: suitcases that light up on the side like carriage windows lined up together to form a train; a white sheet descending from above like a snow before pitched up to form tent walls of Mr Tumnus’ (Alfire Richards) /Mr Beaver’s (Ed Thorpe) home; or the sort of oversized see-saw used for the White Witch’s sleigh that allowed her to tower over Edmund (Bunmi Osadolor) as she does in the novel.
Bunmi Osadolor’s performance of Edmund was quite possibly my favourite part of the show. A character with so many complexities, Osadolor was annoying, spiteful, remorseful and loyal in all the right places with all the right conviction. The performances of his three siblings, Peter (Jesse Dunbar), Susan (Joanna Adaran) and Lucy (Kudzai Mangombe) were equally enthralling, a quartet of incredibly talented young black actors and actresses perfectly cast, each one giving the impression of having been ripped straight off the pages. The same could be said for award winning Katy Stephens’ icy performance of the cold-hearted White Witch, the whimsical personality of the Professor that was captured by Kraig Thornber and the hilarious Ed Thorpe’s portrayal of Mr Beaver. Stanton Wright’s performance of Aslan was another personal favourite of mine, his voice being exactly how I’d always imagined. The decision to have Wright play Aslan while tailed by the extravagant 3-manned puppet was perfect, making the character aptly commanding, regal, larger than life and incredibly terrifying.
Overall, I would highly recommend you go and watch The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the show is truly magical thanks to the commitment of all involved to keeping the magic real, every transition being seamless as if the audience seeing a prop coming on stage was a punishable offence!
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
