The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 🦁

#PRInvite #Gifted | There's no need to venture beyond the fur coats in the cupboard to find Narnia this week, as 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' brings the much-adored chronicles to life on stage at His Majesty's Theatre - direct from the West End.

Star rating: ★★★★★

‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ rolls into Aberdeen this week, delighting audiences with this new production, which is bound to take families beyond the pages of C.S. Lewis’ classic novel. This magical production marks the novel’s 75th anniversary, setting the wintry scene in a tonally different piece, which is a far departure from the 2005 film adaptation - of which was treated to a timeline of sequels thereafter. It is long awaited, too, as the production was originally set for dates at His Majesty’s Theatre five years ago - so finally, this spectacular piece can be enjoyed by audiences in their droves - from young children, parents, and anyone who holds onto their memories of Narnia from long ago.

Set against the backdrop of World War II, ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ follows the Pevensie family who are evacuated for safety to a local town regional audiences will be familiar with - this getting a good laugh last night at the start of the play. The four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, discover their new home in the middle of nowhere - Lucy in particular later finding a whole world she didn’t initially bargain to uncover. Dawning a dusty and ‘detachable’ fur coat hanging in a mysterious wardrobe, Lucy is transported into the Narnian snowfall and greeted by Mr Tumnus. Narnia is a land inhabited by loyal and patriotic animals who try to protect Lucy and her siblings from the White Witch. She, who usurps her power from the rightful rulers, governs wickedly in fear of the Pevensie family - the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve - restoring the prophecy and ultimately repairing peace, harmony and sunshine across the magical kingdom.

I largely expected this stage adaptation to be a play, and was pleasantly surprised to note that this was closer to a musical - with original songs crafted by composers Barnaby Race and Benji Bower. At first, the production uses songs of the war to establish the setting - complimented by tight harmonies, strong soloists and live musicians who double as the show’s ensemble. ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ uses sound expertly throughout to simultaneously build on the show's pace, tension and work up to the introduction of original songs - folk in genre, and perfectly apt for the piece. 

The staging was exactly my taste: full of intricate tracks, ensemble routing and pathways. It was not dissimilar to the National Theatre’s ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ which crossed over from the Edges two years before with equally as rich storytelling. Thanks to the direction of Michael Fentiman, choreography by Shanelle ‘Tali’ Fergus and Puppetry design and direction from Rae Smith and Toby Olié respectively - the production is elevated significantly with illusions and magic to keep audiences of all ages transfixed. The company movement is captivating from the beginning, with the train sequence in particular being a standout. Its impressive staging is completed with the use of aerial work, directed by Gwen Hales, and creates a spectacular end to the first half.

The set is designed by Tom Paris, and this is effective overall. It is a perfect hybrid between having an actual, tangible, set - which takes inspiration from the recurring motif of time and the lunar cycle. Yet, at the same time, it is quite exposed, with the wing tabs stripped and pushed back completely, maximising the stage floor real estate. I liked to see the actors using the extended stage, not shying away from the newly created alcoves behind the marble proscenium. My only fault, though, is that the terrain of Narnia itself needed a better contrast: perhaps using a mix of haze and further snowfall to differentiate the two parallel worlds.

Despite the fantastical land and talking animals, ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ comes packed with heart, under the veil of politics and religion. As a child, I never analysed the fantasy elements of the plot any further than the way they were presented, but this production is clear in centering the world of Narnia as a metaphor for the war. I enjoyed the depiction of this most reverently through the costuming of the animals - with those embodying army uniforms layered with fur collars to serve as the main allegory of this. From there, it is easy to start connecting the characters to their real life inspiration, which is effective in providing much needed depth to a story which could quite easily become shallow. It is not just politics it refers to but the guise of Christianity is laced into the dynamics too.

Yet, despite the novel celebrating its diamond jubilee with this current U.K. tour, there are so many elements of the story that still materialise today. The narrative can be viewed through the lens of our current political landscape: exploring themes of power and propaganda, detaining immigrants - and dare I say, world leaders who are unfit to serve in their position. The only part I didn’t like about bringing ‘the Narnian way’ forward to the modern age was a reference to veganism - this was quite jarring in an otherwise coherent script. However, the play circles back to the idea of compassion throughout - questioning if humans are kind. The answer? Yes. Deep down.

Stepping into the wardrobe as the Pevensie family are Joanna Adaran as Susan, Jesse Dunbar as Peter, Kudzai Mangombe as Lucy and Bunmi Osadolor as Edmund. These were the only cast members who were not multi-rolling.

Katy Stephens is White Witch, delivering a performance with the correct coldness. Stanton Wright takes on the role of Aslan later in the show, where the cast get to demonstrate majestic puppetry - and Wright gets to perform one of the best illusions of the night.

The ensemble are the spirits of the water and spirits of the trees, adroitly moving props and scenery. The set and lighting design is imperative to the tonal shift of the piece, and every member of the cast was integral in creating an impressive experience of physical theatre.

Yet, despite the novel celebrating its diamond jubilee with this current U.K. tour, there are so many elements of the story that still materialise today. The narrative can be viewed through the lens of our current political landscape: exploring themes of power and propaganda, detaining immigrants - and dare I say, world leaders who are unfit to serve in their position. The only part I didn’t like about bringing ‘the Narnian way’ forward to the modern age was a reference to veganism - this was quite jarring in an otherwise coherent script. However, the play circles back to the idea of compassion throughout - questioning if humans are kind. The answer? Yes. Deep down.

Stepping into the wardrobe as the Pevensie family are Joanna Adaran as Susan, Jesse Dunbar as Peter, Kudzai Mangombe as Lucy and Bunmi Osadolor as Edmund. These were the only cast members who were not multi-rolling.

Katy Stephens is White Witch, delivering a performance with the correct coldness. Stanton Wright takes on the role of Aslan later in the show, where the cast get to demonstrate majestic puppetry - and Wright gets to perform one of the best illusions of the night.

The ensemble are the spirits of the water and spirits of the trees, adroitly moving props and scenery. The set and lighting design is imperative to the tonal shift of the piece, and every member of the cast was integral in creating an impressive experience of physical theatre.

This week, Aberdeen Performing Arts are offering you the perfect opportunity to revisit your childhood; whilst seeing ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ in a new light. It is not just an allegory for the war or religion - in fact, C.S. Lewis is adamant it is neither of these things anyway - but can be moulded to fit as a supposal to the real world in more ways than one. For some of the best staging you’ll see this year - it’s time to return to Narnia.

Credits

Instagram links: @theatregramuk, @aberdeenperformingarts, @lionwitchstage

Review by Joel Simpson cc: theatregram@gmail.com

Production photos supplied by Aberdeen Performing Arts