REVIEW: Sussex stop-off for major UK tour of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

But what’s so magical about the major UK tour of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – which received huge acclaim in during its time in the West End – is the innovative way in which this classic story is retold.

Opening at Theatre Royal Brighton last night (Tuesday, March 11) for a run until Saturday, March 15, the audience was a mixed bag of adults, families and a some school groups. I love theatre that’s perfect for the whole family, and this show is a brilliant example of one that will delight all ages.

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A fusion of puppetry, clever staging, beautiful costumes and onstage musicians, I found myself not just marvelling at the excellent acting, but at the whole stunning aesthetic of the show.

This production marks the 75th anniversary of the novel, and in my humble opinion it’s the perfect modern adaptation of such a well-loved tale.

The story is the same, with the Pevensie children being evacuated to Scotland, and finding a portal to the magical realm of Narnia in the back of a wardrobe at the professor’s home, where they are staying.

In director Michael Fentiman’s production, puppetry is used to great effect, such as to simulate the train ride to Scotland and with the professor’s put-upon cat Schrödinger.

Much of the staging came in the form of actors holding props, lighting and more, which not only made each scene quite fluid, it also kept the changes pacey.

The costumes are gorgeous, and perfectly reflect the seasonal tones throughout the story. I loved Aslan’s coat, the part ably played by Stanton Wright.

And having many of the characters play instruments throughout set changes really kept it interesting.

All four of the actors playing the Pevensie children were top-notch, but particular props to Kudzai Mangombe as Lucy. She had the balance of childlike wonder, coupled with her character’s strong moral compass pitched perfectly.

Then there was Katy Stephens with a powerful performance at the White Witch. Known for her long list of Shakespearean roles, her worthy credentials were obvious.

The show is recommended for those aged six and over, so I took a chance and brought my six-year-old son with me. I’m so glad I did as he was mesmerised by the whole production.

He couldn’t believe it was ‘actually snowing’ on stage, as the children found the frozen kingdom of Narnia. And he thought the colony of talking beavers (lead by Anya de Villiers and Ed Thorpe) was hilarious.

He was only a tiny bit frightened when the wolf Maugrim was on stage, although he admitted he found the fight scenes quite thrilling.

And even though we haven’t got around to reading The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe with him yet, he followed the story without issue and sat pretty much transfixed for the whole two-and-a-half-hour performance.

As he dreamed of a faraway land filled with talking animals on the car journey home, I thought what a magical dream that must have been.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe will show at Theatre Royal Brighton until Saturday, Mar 15, with best availability weekdays. Tickets can be purchased at ATGTickets.com/Brighton.