Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe – Theatre Review

At the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton, there was a production of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Story

C.S. Lewis tells the story of four evacuees; Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy as they reside with a professor during war time. They come across an old wardrobe which transports them to the magical land of Narnia. Within Narnia, the four humans find them admits a war with the witch.

Performance 

Unfortunately, I did not think much of the cast/performance. None of it was very believable. The personalities of the main four characters did not show through and therefore weren’t distinguishable over just their names.

Staging 

Such a production is massive and hard to navigate in such a small stage. However, it was handled very well, and the production, staging and transitions were smooth. I was impressed by their work, especially with how they must pack it up and move it on every few weeks. Very cleverly executed.

Visual and Special Effects 

The visual and special effects throughout the entire production was impressive and my favourite part. Clearly a lot of thought and effort has gone into the visual in special effects to bring the world on the stage alive. The only disappointment was Aslan, the lion could have been represented better than what he was but on the other hand everything surrounding the witch, the Queen of Narnia, was well executed. 

Recommendation 

Despite my mixed review, I do recommend the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The production and execution make up for the hindrance of it overall. Magic of Narnia was brought to life, and it was highlighted.

NOTE

A production that recently moved to Birmingham at the Alexandra Theatre. Go and see it for yourself.