It is only fair to begin this review of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe with a weighty caveat, explaining that what will be seen through the rest of the show’s week in Liverpool, and indeed the remainder of its lengthy tour, may well not be the same as the performance reviewed below. On press night, there was a delay in the start of the show attributed to technical difficulties. The interval was longer than intended, and the curtain was abruptly lowered again a short way into the second act for an unscheduled pause. It’s possible that an apparent late get-in for the show was responsible for these difficulties, and I strongly suspect that some shortcomings in lighting and sound throughout may well have been rectified by the following day. The above aside, what of the show itself?
There is a great deal of magic on stage and some outstanding storytelling, but this is marred a little by the fact that director Michael Fentiman’s revival of Sally Cookson’s production is struggling to decide whether it is a play or a musical. It is also dogged by an imbalance in pacing between the first and second acts. Act I is a long and winding road that takes a lot of time setting the scene for the much more entertaining but much shorter Act II. As a result the first part drags its feet while the second, and more interesting part, feels rushed.
The audience also reach the interval feeling sure that there was a lion somewhere in the story, because Aslan doesn’t appear until after the ice cream. When he does turn up, however, we get the extra value of having two Aslans for the price of one. The large and very lovely puppet that gets quite a round of applause on its arrival has a beautifully crafted front end, with a regal face and sculptured mane, and while its rear half is more hinted at than visible, it ends in a splendid swishy tail which has a separate puppeteer all to itself. While the puppet’s face and mouth are motionless, the character is given both voice and expression by Stanton Wright, who follows alongside sporting flowing mane-like locks and sumptuous fur coat. Whilst this duality occasionally gives Aslan out-of-body-experiences, it also allows more readily for scenes such as his execution by Jadis, the White Witch. This scene is played much in the manner of a magic trick, and is pretty effective, although lacking somewhat in spectacle, and my companion was quick to point out that the stone table makes no sign at all of breaking in two - a major piece of symbolism in the original story.
As for that symbolism, the production aims at a folk-tale rendering of the narrative, avoiding too many of the quasi-religious undertones usually associated with the book. This is accentuated by the style of music that accompanies its telling here. Actor-musicians are interspersed in the action, including the unusual choice of an upright piano wheeled about the stage, occasionally sprouting a lamp-post. Good use is made of the framing for the story, making its wartime allegory one of the strongest elements of its telling, and it is perhaps this decision that results in such a lot of emphasis being given to the first act.
The White Witch herself is played by Katy Stephens, who gives good weight to the characterisation. She too has some magical scenes to play, and is the centre of some of the best theatrical moments in an otherwise surprisingly low-key staging.
Tom Paris’ set design is best described as minimalist, based on the seemingly ubiquitous series of concentric circles that adorn many a touring show these days (presumably they fit well on a multitude of different stages). Surrounded in inky darkness, these circles are illuminated at various times to hint at, rather than create, the various settings for the story, and a good imagination is required to fill in the gaps in physical design. Nonetheless, the black void that the story is played out against allows for some dramatic visuals at times, although some of the transformation scenes are lacking in much actual transformation.
The supporting cast is full of lovely performances, with particular note going to Alfie Richards for his Mr Tumnus (doubling Badger and White Mouse) and Ed Thorpe and Anya DeVilliers as Mr and Mrs Beaver. Jesse Dunbar, Joanna Adaran, Kudzai Mangombe and Bunmi Osalodor are the central quartet of Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund and, while they deliver well, the production pushes their characters somewhat into the background.
Overall this is a very good looking piece of theatre that has a very literary - and indeed wordy - quality to it. It is (notwithstanding the difficulties of opening night) slickly done and has some real theatrical set-pieces, although the murky lighting and subdued sound, with occasional lost microphone cues, rob it of some much needed gloss. Hopefully this is more the result of some technical glitches than actual artistic intent. The commitment to a faithful interpretation of a much loved literary classic is surely the biggest selling point, and the show will not fail to delight fans of the book.
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is at Liverpool Empire until Saturday 22nd February and then continues touring, with dates booking through to January 2026.
Star rating: 3 stars
The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe company: Photos by Brinkhoff-Moegenburg
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This review was originally written for publication by Good News Liverpool
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