Theatre New Brunswick’s The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe’s first performance saw a standing ovation after 90 minutes of talking creatures, sword-fighting and wide-eyed imaginative spectacle brought the audience to their feet. Directed by TNB’s Lynda Hill, dramatized by Joseph Robinette and based off the classic novel by C.S. Lewis, the play brings the power of imagination onto the stage and is the perfect family fun for the holiday season.
The play starts with a picture of childhood innocence thrown into an eternal winter without Christmas. The first five minutes are a montage of scenes: children playing in a yard, war approaching, and the same children being sent away from their family to a safer home. From there, the youngest child stumbles into a light while searching for a place to hide during a game of hide-and-seek.
We realize this girl is one of the main protagonists, one of the four children who will find their way into this wardrobe and into a new world. Her name is Lucy and she’s found Narnia.
This wide-eyed girl, played by Sasha Mais, is our charming guide into Narnia. She appears like an angel, kind and the type that sees no evil in the word. Even though she is only in middle school, her acting abilities have no shortcomings.
The rest of the characters are slowly introduced to us as they enter Narnia as well.
Lucy introduces Edmund, played by Ben Rutter, to Narnia as well. His acting is a delight, much like the Turkish delight his character often craves, and he’s unfortunately tricked by the evil in the realm, adding a little suspense to the plot. The young actor portrays Edmund naturally. Rather, it feels like Rutter not acting at all and instead, is Edmund.
We also meet Mr. Tumnas, a quirky and often “perplexed” fawn who leaves the stage far too soon.
“Gentle” Susan and “magnificent” Peter, played by Elena Hrkalovic and Carter Scott, complete the quartet daughter of Eve and sons of Adam here to save Narnia from its eternal winter and tyrannical witch.
Played by Raven Dauda, the evil witch of Narnia is a tour-de-force, at times comedic in her anger, and at other times, diabolical and foreboding. She often dominates the stage when in a scene.
Her nemesis Aslan, played by Jeremiah Sparks, brings a ferocious and regal presence to stage, while Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, played by Derek Kwan and Allison Basha, bring comic relief for the kids.
At one point in time, Father Christmas even makes an appearance.
Together, the children undertake a quest, to defeat the evil queen and bring spring back to Narnia with the help of Aslan, the previous king of Narnia, played by the noble and ferocious Jeremiah Sparks.
Many already know the story of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. It’s a quest undertaken by four children through a magical land. One gets seduced by the evil witch and tries to bring the others to her. He comes back and makes up for his mistake. Aslan, the lion king of Narnia, is introduced and there is a battle for the kingdom.
Going in, the audience, except maybe the kids, knew they were not going to see an original plot. Yes, it’s predictable to the adult viewer, and yes, it’s a little cheesy and is not too thought-provoking. But the audience didn’t go to see that. They went to see the actors’ interpretation of the characters, the costumes, the sets and the new elements TNB would bring to the stage. And the audience was not disappointed.
For the TNB adaptation, the real stand-out were the costumes. Costume director Patrick Clark created fur coats straight from the early 20th century, costumes for the variety of the personified creatures of the forest including wolves, beavers and a lion. They don’t pretend to be the animals and walk on all fours, but the costumes bring life to the characters. Baggy pants and pointy shoes resemble the fawn’s mystical make-up of half-goat. A great fur mane and gold-trimmed robes complete the character of Aslan. And the witches wintery gown dazzles.
The setting and music also stood apart from other TNB productions. The sets were more extravagant. Wooden deer strode in the forest and music composed by Deanna H. Choi made up of flutes, trumpets, and drums complemented battle scenes or bewitched us during a scene change.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will be touring across New Brunswick this holiday season with shows at the Fredericton Playhouse Dec. 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. with a 2 p.m. matinée on the 15, a show at Saint John’s Imperial Theatre Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. and shows at the Théâtre l’Escaouette Dec. 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m.
TNB and its actors have done a good job of bringing heart to the stage with fantastical, loveable and believable characters and encouraging children, families and theatre-lovers to expand their imaginations for the night.
In the end, it features the types of characters and action, one would see from a Disney film, but who doesn’t love taking a trip back to their childhood, or earlier adulthood, to watch Toy Story or Disney’s Aladdin?