The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham.
Released in 1950 The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was the first of seven novels in the fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. It is the best known of the series and a staple of children’s and family literature. This stage adaptation premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse (Leeds) in 2017 and has pretty much been performed ever since.
The story follows the Pevensie children – Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – who are evacuated from London during the second world war to a large house in the countryside which is owned by a professor. Whilst exploring the house, Lucy comes across a wardrobe in one of the rooms which she enters and to her amazement finds that it leads to magical land called Narnia.
OK, everyone knows the story, so let’s get to the adaptation itself. Quite simply – it’s wondrous.
A hugely creative and inventive way of telling the story: music, puppetry, dance, physical theatre, magic tricks – everything! The whole thing has a “folk-tale” feel to it with many scenes involving the whole cast being on stage and also playing instruments. The costumes also add to this by being indicative of what the characters are rather than literal. The staging and scenery are gorgeous with the simplest of things transporting us from one setting to another. It’s real ensemble piece with much multi-roling amonst the cast who are all fantastic. It all makes for a magical theatrical experience. This is what storytelling’s all about.
The delight and wonder on the children’s faces in the audience (and the adults too!) said it all.
4 stars, A wonderfully creative adaptation of a children’s classic.
