These days, stories and story-telling seem more important than ever. Not just for escaping into but for making sense of the times we live in. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is an absolute blueprint of good overcoming evil; a heroic lion battles a white witch in a fantasy land stumbled upon by four evacuees, themselves trying to understand the war that they are escaping from.
It’s a classic of children’s literature and I wonder how many children after reading the book pushed through the heavy coats and pressed shirts of their parent’s wardrobes hoping Aslan might be on the other side? I was one of them.
As this classic tale with all its nostalgic associations for so many generations re-interpret itself at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, focus falls on director Sally Cookson. Has the creative force behind versions of Peter Pan and Jane Eyre done the novel justice?
The answer is yes. In fact, from the moment you take your seat in The Quarry, WYP’s wonderful in-the-round theatre, you feel transported back to the 1940s, everything feels right. The music is world war two dance-hall optimism, the smells are musty but comforting and among the audience evacuees mingle, asking if you’ve remembered your green train boarding pass (given to you on the way in and adding to the immersion).
And so, the tale begins: Edmund, Lucy, Susan and Peter are whisked via train, from bomb-ravaged London to the sanctuary of Scotland and to that magical wardrobe. It’s the transformation from dusty wardrobe to snowy Narnia that’s so subtly and beautifully done. Crisp white sheets delicately slide across the circular stage, manoeuvred by the actors, themselves camouflaged in white adding to the winter feel. Of course, at the centre of these scenes resided the evil white witch played deliciously by Carla Mendonça.
The anticipation is palpable among the audience as the arrival of Aslan the lion nears and it’s not until the start of the second half we are introduced to the iconic lion. In this version he is the most magnificent puppet, manned by six operatives from tail to head; it’s stunning and if your first thought after your gasp is War Horse then it’s an appropriate one. Puppeteer Craig Leo and puppet designer Rae Smith both worked on Michael Morpurgo’s adaptation and their touch can be felt here too.
The story is so well-known I shan’t use up my word count to explain it; instead I’ll use the final paragraph of this review to say that Cookson has achieved something special here. Her adaptation is bold, immersive and affirming. By the time you leave perhaps the world outside makes a little more sense.
Review by Mark Glover