Hull New Theatre – until 4th October 2025
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
5*****
Chris Harper Productions and Catherine Schreiber, Michael Watt Productions, No Guarantees, Winkler and Smalberg, Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, Echo Lake Entertainment, Laurence Myers, James Seabright, Jones Theatrical Group present The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.
From the moment this show started we were treated to an assault on the senses, a piano on the stage and a clock without handles as the dark backdrop. All the cast were amazing, from the musicians playing their instruments on the stage as well as acting to the other cast members who all played their parts faultlessly.
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is based on the book by C S Lewis, which is celebrating its 75th year since it was first published. It is set in World War Two and its were we meet the four Pevensie children who are about to evacuated from the Blitz. The children, Susan (Joanna Adaran), Peter (Jesse Dunbar), Lucy (Kudzai Mangombe) and Edmund (Bunmi Osadolor) are sent by train to Inverness in Scotland to stay at the Professors (Kraig Thornber) home. Whilst staying there the children discover the mystical world of Narnia, firstly Lucy who meets Mr Tumnus (Alfie Richards), then Edmund who meets the White Witch (Katy Stephens) and then all the children together. What follows is the journey all of the characters take, the children learning how to brave and how to fight to save themselves and the friends they have made.
The set and costumes (design by Tom Paris) were fabulous, from the dark forest, the creatures who lived there to the White Witch, the attention to detail was outstanding. Under director Michael Fentiman the story from the pages of C S Lewis came alive on stage.
The Lion, Aslan, was so good, from the puppeteers (Andrew Davison, Molly Francis, Rhodri Watkins) to the voice of Aslan (Stanton Wright) they really brought Aslan to life and The White Witch (Katy Stephens) was very menacing and their scenes were some of the best in the production.
This was a stunning production; it was quite dark in some places with humour and brilliant acting setting the tone for quite a heartwarming tale of families, communities coming together and friendship. Definitely one not to miss.