In early July, I stepped into the magical world of Narnia with a brand-new stage production of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe at Milton Keynes Theatre.
As a long-time fan of the Narnia books, I was excited to see how this latest adaptation would bring the classic tale to life. As well as watching the classic BBC series and Disney/Fox movies, I’ve seen two stage productions before – a truly fantastic RSC version in Stratford many years ago, possibly around the late 90’s, and a much less successful attempt at Northampton’s Royal Theatre about 15 years back. So expectations were high, but mixed with a little caution.
Walking into the foyer of the theatre, there was an exciting buzz, not only because it was press night (although I wasn’t invited to that, I was just an ordinary paying member of the public), but also because there were photo opportunities with ‘the wardrobe’ giving you a glimpse into the wintery world of Narnia, as well as a sculpted head of Aslan completed made out of flowers which was such a colourful sight. Naturally, I couldn’t resist taking photos before taking my seat…
Stepping into Narnia…
From the moment the show began, it was clear that this was a creative and thoughtful adaptation. The production used colourblind casting throughout, which was an interesting choice. It’s unknown how many black children were evacuated in the UK in World War II, but it was probably very few. However, as the book doesn’t give much description of what the four Pevensie children looked like, it is open to interpretation.
What stood out even more in this production was the clever doubling-up of roles as many of the actors also served as the onstage musicians, weaving jaunty folk music into the narrative and giving the show a lively, playful energy. A stand out moment particularly was the scene where Father Christmas appears and sings and dances. Being July, it did feel slightly weird to see Christmas and wintery scenes on stage, but it’s a major part of the story and you just have to go with it.
Visually, there was plenty of stage magic. Props seemed to appear and disappear in an instant, with several illusions helping to conjure the snowy landscapes and fantastical settings of Narnia. The moment at the end of Act 1 where White Witch rises high up on the stage reminded me of Wicked, just without the iconic Defying Gravity song. Aslan appears in two forms on stage together – as a human, and as a sort of half ‘War Horse’ style large puppet which I wasn’t sure quite worked. I would have preferred one or the other, especially as the puppet never spoke, it was just there. The actor in costume had all the lines.
Some adventures lead us to our destiny…
While the first half was strong, the second act felt rushed in comparison. I’ve noticed this trend with a lot of family shows over recent years to be short in length. This ran for just under 2 hours in total, and I think an extra half an hour would have really benefited the production. The most dramatic and emotional beats of the story – Aslan’s sacrifice and resurrection and the eventual defeat of the White Witch came across weaker than expected. These are the heart of the tale, and I couldn’t help wishing the production had taken more time to let them truly land with the weight they deserve. To me it felt there wasn’t enough time to take in what had happened before moving onto the next scene.
From my seat at the back of the stalls, I also found some lines hard to hear, particularly when competing against the less magical sound of rustling crisp packets from nearby audience members. It felt like either the microphones needed to be louder, or better speakers for that part of the theatre. A shame, as the dialogue was faithful to the book and worth catching every word.
Despite these criticisms, it is still a production that captures the spirit of Narnia. It might not quite match the brilliance of that RSC version I still hold in my memory, but it’s leagues ahead of the Royal Theatre’s version. It’s faithful to the source material, imaginative in staging, clever with use of music, and filled with strong performances, even if the climactic moments could have packed more of a punch. If you’re a fan of the books or simply love inventive theatre it’s well worth seeing.
A Post-Theatre Surprise
After leaving the theatre, I wandered into the nearby shopping centre, where I stumbled across an unexpected bonus – an art installation featuring hundreds of delicate paper doves, accompanied by soothing lights and sounds. It turned out to be part of the Milton Keynes International Festival (something I’ll admit I hadn’t heard of before), and it made for a peaceful, reflective end to the evening.
