Review: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, Gillian Lynne Theatre

Amid a summer season positively snowed under with escapist fare, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe fits right in. Admittedly, dipping into the wintery landscape of Narnia just after a British heatwave is a bit of an ask for the imagination but, if any production could do it, this is it.

Director Michael Fentiman's take on the original Sally Cookson production is an awe-inspiring sight. Visual details both small and large are beautifully designed to bring the story of the Pevensie siblings, their adventures with Aslan and their battle against the Wicked Witch to life.

The production quite rightly brings out the more fantastic elements of the text. CS Lewis was close friends and a work colleague of JRR Tolkein; they both served in the English faculty at Oxford University and were members of the Inklings, an informal group that held meetings in Lewis' rooms, valued the use of narrative in literature and encouraged the writing of fantasy. While Tolkein was writing The Hobbit, Lewis' mind at the time was on sci-fi and his Space Trilogy. It wasn't until after the Second World War that both went on to publish their most famous fantasy works, influenced by their wartime experiences.

Lewis' Narnia Chronicles have been adapted many times for radio, TV, stage and film. As with Tolkein, new Netflix adaptations of his stories are upcoming, ensuring new audiences will soon be immersed in worlds created almost a century ago. Lewis' books are arguably more accessible than Tolkein; while atheists may decry his works' Christian leanings, there is no denying the power of his seminal Chronicles with their rich stories of childhood adventure and dark underlying themes of betrayal, cruelty and redemption.

This tale we all know so well is given new legs thanks to the creative vision. The Pevensie children's train journey is illustrated by having a series of suitcases designed to look like train windows. Percussion and violin is deployed to build up the ambience as the siblings are carried away from war-torn London to a small Scottish town. Going into Narnia for the first time is a magical experience for us as much as for Lucy: snowflakes and a white sheets fall down onto the stage like icicles as the pair are transported into another land wracked by war.

The set by Tom Paris (based on Rae Smith's original design) and Jack Knowles' lighting are fluid and vibrant with outer rings changing colour depending on where the action is taking place; you can almost feel the coldness when the Wicked Witch makes her bow. Max Humphries' puppetry designs are astounding, from Aslan's giant figure commandeered by four performers to the more abstract Turkish Delight creation made from numerous, large, illustrated cubes. Magic plays a part here too - following his sacrifice, Aslan's human form (Chris Jared) makes like David Copperfield, disappearing from the altar and appearing moments later above the stage.

So with all this eye candy, it seems a tad invidious to ask the actors to make as big an impression on the audience. Samantha Womack's impact as the Witch is hugely aided and abetted by the creative decisions around her role, not least costuming, stage effects and music. What she adds herself - beyond being a marquee name - is harder to put a finger on. The actors portraying the Pevensie children do a decent job but none really stand out. The minor characters are more impressive, especially Christina Tedders as Mrs Beaver.

In this utterly joyful revival, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe is a theatrical marvel that will delight children aged eight to eighty and above.

The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe continues at the Gillian Lynne Theatre until 8 January 2023.

Photo Credit: Brinkhoff Moegenburg

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