Cora Kirk, Lucy Tuck (back), Michael Jean-Marain, Alan Francis (back) and Patricia Allison in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds. Pictures: Brinkhoff/Mögenburg
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe continues at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds until 27 January 2018.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Occasionally, I while away ten minutes of a tedious car journey by trying to formulate my own definition of the term ‘musical’. However, it only takes seconds on the drive away from a show to reconfirm the futility of this enterprise. We think we know what we mean, but the next show forces a rethink.
Even the team at the West Yorkshire Playhouse was doubtful about a suitable label for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Yet it has has an overture, seven listed songs, incidental music, carefully choreographed movement and dramatic action. Surely, any definition of musical would demand these elements?
The story itself is well enough known from countless TV and other adaptations to need no rehearsal here.
Sally Cookson’s version of the C. S. Lewis book relies on direct engagement with the audience, using in-the-round seating that domesticates the vast spaces of the Playhouse stage.
As we take our seats, only the lamppost, first portent of the parallel universe that is Narnia, hints at what is to come.
The temptation to resort to special effects must have been considerable, but Cookson does not go there, relying instead on old-fashioned stage trickery. The actors’ flying is suitably balletic and there was a palpable gasp from the audience as the White Witch (a splendidly malevolent Carla Mendonça) was wired 50 feet above the stage area.
The wartime context for the action is set by ‘Run Rabbit’ in the overture and then an evacuees’ song, ‘Train Journey’, that turns their suitcases into railway carriages, transported by the ensemble to the house of Professor Kirke (Iain Johnstone, who doubles as Aslan).
Lucy is, of course, as noble as Aslan, and, from the early numbers such as ‘When There Was Spring (Tumnus Song)’, Cora Kirk has us forgetting that she is an adult playing a child.
Carla Mendonça as the White Witch
John Leader, as Edmund, has a more difficult task since he has to snivel and behave in a more childish manner. Michael Jean-Marain (Peter) and Patricia Allison (Susan) make up the quartet.
The ensemble occupies the stage with grotesque monsters for the Aslan sacrifice scene, but if Robert Helpmann’s Child Catcher seared the psyche of a generation in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, then Ira Mandela Siobhan may have done the same with his portrayal of Maugrim. Front rows visibly recoiled as he exited the acting area.
Musical director and composer Benji Bower (who also puts in an appearance as Fox) uses the small band to maximum effect.
Atmospheric in the incidental music and drawing on folk themes for the songs, his ‘Summer Dance’ provides an audience-pleasing spectacle to end the evening.
Movement director Dan Canham has the whole cast moving as one, particularly for the ‘Summer Dance’ finale.
Apart from the lamppost, all the elements of the set have to be brought on and removed by the ensemble.
Rae Smith’s designs contrive to transform the vast open spaces of the Quarry Theatre from snowy woods to snug burrows to imperial palaces without pause for breath.
The work of lighting designer Bruno Poet is key to these transformations and special mention must be made of the cracked ice effect on the stage floor that defines spaces and transforms moods.
Like Narnia itself, for an evening, three hours in the West Yorkshire Playhouse seems out of step with time elsewhere.
Mike Tilling
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.