United Kingdom The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (based on the novel by C. S. Lewis): Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 15.4.2025. (JPr)
It is the 75th anniversary of C. S. Lewis’s popular story The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and it deserves to be touring once again. In fact, the production we are seeing is based on Sally Cookson’s original one for the Leeds Playhouse (then the West Yorkshire Playhouse) in 2017 and reimagined in 2021 by Michael Fentiman for a UK and Ireland tour and a limited run in the West End. Beginning once again in Leeds last November, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is visiting most parts of the UK and Ireland through to January 2026.
For once I have actually read the book, as well as seen the 1988 BBC TV adaptation and the 2005 movie, I have even read reviews from here and there about this theatre version, and crucially, looked at photos of it. That is important because what I saw on the stage will not have been what others might have seen – or will see – elsewhere. This is probably due to reduced stage facilities at the Cliffs Pavilion, and we particularly missed a huge clock face/portal suggesting the separation of the two worlds of Narnia and wartime Britain, and Jadis, Queen of Narnia (aka White Witch) apparently rising high in the air at the end of the first half. Instead of short-changing audiences perhaps some projections at the back of the stage would have been an alternative.
What remains is a relentlessly dark staging which whilst appropriate for 1940s Britain lacked any real colour (however muted) for Narnia or frostiness for Jadis’s castle Cair Paravel. How it all works for you is how content you are to let your imagination do most of the work and the realisation that what you see depends on a reasonable knowledge of who is who and what is what. The story is all there with the timeless tale of the fight between the forces of good and of evil – think Wizard of Oz – played out as you would expect; as is the majestic lion Aslan’s Jesus Christ Superstar-like sacrifice, with his resurrection ushering along the fairy-tale happy ending with its major acts of forgiveness.
There is an attempt to create some atmosphere from the moment the audience enter to take their seats with a lone soldier at an upright piano playing wartime songs. This is wasted because no one is listening though you’ll smile at the familiar warning about the use of mobile phones, though here, in the style – and language – of a train announcement of the period. We get to see how hardworking and talented the entire ensemble is with a rousing rendition of ‘We’ll Meet Again’ and we realise that several of them are accomplished actor-musicians with the music by Barnaby Race and Benji Bower played live on the stage with instruments including accordion, harmonica, guitar, clarinet, violin, cello, wheeled double bass, the piano and various drums. The original songs are not particularly memorable but the music in general has an appealing folk jazz feel to it, notwithstanding the rather odd Father Christmas hoedown at the start of the second act.
The four Pevensie children, Peter, Edmund, Susan and Lucy are evacuated to The Professor’s large, imposing house in the wilds of Scotland. The train journey is intriguingly created by a lamp, some dry ice and suitcases, as well as much jigging around by the cast. The Professor has a cat called Schrödinger (!) who guides Lucy to the wardrobe which will lead to Narnia. The cat is one of the show’s puppets and works best – like some of the illusions – if you are in the front of the stalls and won’t resonate as well to the rear of the circle.
The costumes in Narnia still expand on the theme of war apparent from the musical play’s opening with some of the – often indistinguishable – fantastical creatures and quirky animals looking as if they have raided an army surplus store, and some of the followers of Jadis in black as German stormtroopers. Lucy encounters a fawn called Mr Tumnus and has tea with him before she returns through the wardrobe. Lucy’s siblings don’t believe what she tells them, but it is Edmund who discovers Narnia next and is bewitched (!) by Jadis and her offer of Turkish delight (cue a Turkish delight monster) if he brings Peter, Susan and Lucy to her so she can kill them. There is a prophecy that the reign of the White Witch will end when ‘two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve’ sit on the four thrones of Cair Paravel. Edmund returns with Lucy through the wardrobe before the Professor encourages them to go back through it to Narnia together.
Edmund wants them to follow him to Jadis though they end up with the Beavers who together with several other animals are part of the resistance to her evil reign. We learn that Aslan is on the move after a hundred years and he will eventually inspire the great battle that will see Jadis defeated and see the four children crowned Kings and Queens of Narnia. Time passes and Narnia recovers before the four return to the Professor’s house with only a little less than half-an-hour having elapsed there since they all went through the wardrobe.
Aberdeen University, for instance, has used trigger warnings for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe about potentially upsetting content, such as war, violence, and religious themes, and I was surprised how young some were in the packed Cliffs Pavilion audience what with two major stabbings in the story and how in real-life those ‘dying’ like that don’t come back to life like Aslan and Edmund!
It is all slickly staged by Michael Fentiman and presented rather like a sophisticated passion play performed with great enthusiasm by an exceptional cast sometimes acting, singing, dancing and/or playing instruments in multiple roles. They are headed by the high-spirited quartet of Joanna Adaran (Susan), Jesse Dunbar (Peter), Kudzai Mangombe (Lucy) and Bunmi Osadolor (Edmund), who if not exactly the ‘children’ of the original story (age-wise) are totally convincing nonetheless and have exciting futures ahead of them I hope. Kraig Thornber is avuncular both as the Professor and Father Christmas. Katy Stephens (with her impressive CV) is little more than a pantomime wicked witch yet proves a fearsome foe for the children. Alfie Richards is a suitably nervy Mr Tumnus with Ed Thorpe and Anya de Villiers as the kindly beavers.
When Aslan finally appears – and it does take much too long – he is an impressive beast manipulated by three puppeteers whose bark – or rather roar – is better than his bite. Walking beside him in a shaggy coat is Stanton Wright who voices Aslan’s pronouncements in a rather mild-sounding voice though still one which commands attention, even if he is no Liam Neeson as in the film. For me it would have been better had Aslan (himself) ‘spoken’.
I know I have had several misgivings about this The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but I was glad I saw it and urge others who feel affectionately about C. S. Lewis’s original to see it and make your own minds up should it come near you soon.
Jim Pritchard
For more about The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe on tour click here.
Featured Image: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe © Brinkhoff/Moegenburg
Cast:
Joanna Adaran – Susan
Archie Combe – Mr Pope / Foxtrot
Andrew Davison – Mr Wilson (Schrödinger) / Jack Rabbit / Aslan Puppeteer / Head Cruel
Anya De Villiers – Mrs Beaver
Jesse Dunbar – Peter
Molly Francis – Mrs Pevensie / Aslan Puppeteer / Robin
Ffion Haf – Miss Gumley-Warmley / Phoenix
Rhiannon Hopkins – Miss Chutney / Blue Badger
Joe Keenan – Mr Granville / Spirit of the Moon / Red Squirrel
Kudzai Mangombe – Lucy
Bunmi Osadolor – Edmund
Alfie Richards – Mr Tumnus / White Mouse / Badger
Katy Stephens – White Witch / Mrs Macready
Kraig Thornber – The Professor / Father Christmas / Wise Owl
Ed Thorpe – Mr Beaver
Rhodri Watkins – Mr Brinkworth / March Hare / Aslan Puppeteer
Shane Anthony Whiteley – Maugrim / Satyr / White Stag
Stanton Wright – Aslan / Soldier / Hedgehog
Ruby Greenwood, Oliver Magor, JB Maya, Luca Moscardini – Onstage Swing
Creatives:
Director – Mike Fentiman (based on the original production by Sally Cookson
Associate director – Pip Minnithorpe
Set and Costume designer – Tom Paris
Lighting designer – Jack Knowles
Sound designer – Tom Marshall
Composers – Barnaby Race and Benji Bower
Choreography – Shanelle ‘Tali’ Fergus
Original Puppetry director – Toby Olié
Original Puppetry design – Max Humphries
Aerial direction – Gwen Hales
Magic and Illusions – Chris Fisher
Fight director – Jonathan Holby
Musical director – Ben Goddard Young
Musical supervisor – Barnaby Race
Live Orchestrations – Barnaby Race and Samuel Wilson
Original Writer in the Room and Dramaturg – Adam Peck