The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The musical synopsis for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe centres on the four Pevensie children, who are evacuated from London during the Blitz and discover the magical land of Narnia through an old wardrobe. Narnia is trapped in an eternal winter by the tyrannical White Witch, and the children join forces with the majestic lion Aslan and other creatures like the Beavers and Mr. Tumnus to defeat her. The story adapts C.S. Lewis's classic novel, often using music, dance, and puppetry to tell its tale of good versus evil, betrayal, and redemption. 

The stage was set on several levels with four musicians located at the rear of the stage in front of a star cloth. The evacuation is underway as we hear lines sung from Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll Meet again’. The four Pevensies; Peter (Noah Glyde), Susan (Elizabeth Tresadern), Edmund (Cameron Morris) and Lucy (Lexi Ford) are central to the story and each equips themselves well with at times challenging dialogue. They meet Mrs Macready, a homely house keeper, very well played by Georgie Levine.

Lucy is the first to enter Narnia through the wardrobe and meets Mr Tumnus, a fawn, played endearingly by Max Price as he tells Lucy what it is like in Narnia and that he is in the pay of the White Witch and should really turn her in. But he allows Lucy to return home. The White Witch played by Mimi Groves enters on a magnificent sledge and proves to be evil and devious, capable of changing creatures and people into stone. Mr Tumnus is captured and to be punished for letting Lucy go.

After Lucy returns home, Edmund goes to Narnia and meets the witch who fulfils his greed for Turkish Delight, expecting that he might act as a traitor against his siblings. When they all eventually decide to venture through the wardrobe, they feel they should try and rescue the fawn but also meet other characters. Mr Beaver – well spoken by Whizz Byrne and Mrs Beaver (Laura Harding), nice voice and both sing well together. Aslan, the lion appears, operated by Maddie Wallace, with a large magnificent head, created by Lex Freeth. Whilst other roles are played well by the youngsters including Maugrim (Alecsandra Gheorghe) and Grumpskin (Mabel Phillips), the opportunity is taken to use two ‘adults’ Alec Fellows-Bennett (Professor Kirk and Voice of Aslan) and Stephen Watkins (Father Christmas), adding an experienced touch of depth to the production. A full company number moving well concluded Act 1, confirming it was always winter at Narnia.

However, Act 2 opened proving that Christmas was actually here with some nice harmonies and Spring was on its way. Although Aslan is killed by the witch, by magic he lives on and a war against the Witch ensues. Eventually the Pevensies all return home and meet Professor Kirk, who believes one day they may well return to Narnia again.  

Alec Fellows-Bennett once again steered a good production as director; like-wise Stephen Watkins as MD, and I concluded that this choice of production was not for the faint hearted, with its demands on wardrobe, staging and dialogue, but which Wymsical Theatre once again pulled off, to the satisfaction of a full house. Congratulations to all involved.

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