The blog post was written for East Midlands Theatre.
This fantastical production, based on the well-known novel by C.S. Lewis, combines music, puppetry, stage trickery and top notch performances to create a show that is sure to enthral people of all ages, filling even the most sincere of adults with a childlike wonder.
The story is one most of us are used to – the Pevensie children (Jesse Dunbar as Peter, Joanna Adaran as Susan, Bunmi Osadolor as Edmund and Kudzai Mangombe as Lucy) are evacuated during the second world war to the house of Professor Digory (Kraig Thornber) in Scotland, where they come across a magical wardrobe that transports them to Narnia – a land ruled by the evil White Witch (Katy Stephens), where it is always winter but never Christmas. Under the direction of Michael Fentiman, the world of war-torn Britain feels scary and adult, a useful set-up with which to juxtapose the magical world of Narnia.
When Lucy makes her first journey into Narnia, the transformation of the stage is breath-taking, the music taking on an other-worldly feel, and subtle changes in lighting helping to highlight this turning point in the story. The way in which the iconic streetlamp emerges from the piano is enough to give anyone chills, and is sure to bring back a wave of childhood nostalgia for fans of the book. The transitions throughout the show are a marvel, slick and smooth throughout, effortlessly taking the audience on a trip throughout Narnia without slowing down the action.
In fact, the production is incredibly fast-paced, and often doesn’t give the audience a chance to catch its breath before whisking them off to the next bit of the plot. This is not a bad thing, and necessary for a story so rich in detail. The play hooks you in and doesn’t let go, and the two-and-a-half-hour runtime passes quickly. However, it does mean that some of the more poignant moments are not given the space necessary to have an emotional impact on the audience. The sacrifice and subsequent resurrection of Aslan happens so quickly we hardly get the opportunity to feel his loss.
Aslan the lion is simultaneously represented by a large scale puppet and an actor – Stanton Wright, whose forceful voice brings the gravitas necessary for such a role. The presence of both actor and puppet may feel disconcerting at first, as some actors choose to interact with the puppet, whilst others interact with the actor, but the production makes it clear that they are one and the same. One moment, just before Aslan’s death, sees Wright place his hand on the puppet’s forehead, sending the puppet away to face the White Witch on his own. On paper, the idea feels abstract and confusing, but in the moment it makes absolute sense.
To call this production a musical would not be quite the right description – although there is original music throughout, it never feels like the emphasis. Often the music does not further the plot, simply embellishes and builds upon plot points that have already been stated, but the songs are often rousing, dramatic and help to liven up the stage during the quieter moments of the story. In particular, I enjoyed the song performed by Mr Tumnus (Alfie Richards) in which he remembers what life in Narnia was like before the reign of the White Witch. The decision to include Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again as the opening song helps to call back to the wartime spirit, although it feels a little cliché and one can’t help but wonder why an original song wasn’t created for this moment instead.
The play has a whole host of interesting side characters, in particular Mr and Mrs Beaver (Ed Thorpe and Anya de Villiers), who provide some comedic moments amidst the darker atmosphere of the second act, and the White Witch’s villainous sidekick Maugrim (Shane Antony-Whitely), who might prove a little too scary for some of the younger members of the audience. Amidst all the magic, which also includes flying birds, dancing cubes of Turkish Delight and a particularly jolly version of Santa Claus, the true stars of the show are the four Pevensie children, as our four flawed yet likeable heroes. It is these flaws that make the children so easy to root for. Edmund’s story allows for an incredible character journey, and Osadolor delivers this with ease, able to tread a fine line of making sure we empathise with Edmund rather than despise him for betraying his siblings. Lucy is the character that the audience connects with the most, and Mangombe never fails to capture the audience’s attention when she is on the stage. The nature of the story means that Peter and Susan get less stage time, although Dunbar enjoys a particularly poignant moment with Aslan, and Adaran gets to show off some nifty bow-and-arrow skills, although the repercussions of her sudden switch from innocent teenager to deadly soldier is not properly explored. The final scenes see the Pevensie children age as they take on the roles of Kings and Queens of Narnia. The transformation here is so subtle that it could easily be missed, but the changes in voice and the way in which the actors hold themselves instantly makes them appear more adult. It is testament to the ability of these four actors that the play does not need to rely on changes in costume or hair or makeup to make these transformations apparent.
There is so much that happens within this show that it is impossible to properly capture this action-packed production in such a short review. There is room for improvement (some dodgy shadow work sticks out as not quite reaching the high bar set by other parts of the show), but this is a production sure to impress and amaze. The show lends itself well to the enormous Curve stage – it will be interesting to see how it can adapt for other venues as it embarks on a year-long tour of the UK, without making smaller stages feel overcrowded with extravagant costumes and characters. This is a production made for families, but that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and one I cannot recommend enough. A simply magical production.
Tom Morley, January 2025
Read my review of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” from February 2022 here.
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