Manchester Theatre News & Reviews

REVIEW - The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is full of magic and the perfect treat for all the family this Christmas

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On Thursday we went to Lowry, Salford to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. See what our reviewer Erin had to say about this excellent family show...

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has already had a massive impact in the world of theatre, and now it’s ending the year in Salford with a bang! The story begins when four siblings have been sent to live in the countryside with an old professor, and they step through an extraordinary wardrobe and find themselves in a new, mysterious land called Narnia. They discover that Narnia is covered in an eternal winter due to a wicked witch, and a prophecy foretells that four humans will free Narnia. Through battles and ancient magic, Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy and a band of Narnians fight to keep their home safe.

The atmosphere walking into the theatre was oddly calm. There was a pianist playing some beautiful songs as people entered and gave the theatre a moody air. The whole show was structured around the characters playing instruments, and it just made the whole thing even more magical. I loved the amount of physical theatre used to tell the story, from the train to the giant man made from Turkish delights, it was cinematic, and ethereal.

The costumes were also other worldly. They were so intricately detailed and interesting to look at; I loved the way it tied everything together. The whole show fit harmoniously together, and I felt like I had escaped England alongside the Pevensies and got to experience Narnia for myself.

The casting of this show was unimaginably good. Everyone played their part to perfection, and I loved the way they felt like a family on stage. Joanna Adaran (The enormous crocodile, Little Feind, Journey’s End) held a warm performance, embodying Susan with grace and eloquence, and Kudzai Mangombe (Hansel and Gretel R&D, Sam Wu is NOT Afraid of Ghosts, Bury Your Brothers R&D) showed Lucy's kindness with strength and skill.

Jesse Dunbar (A Midsummer Nights Dream, Into The Woods, Hymns) gave a layered and vulnerable performance, whilst Bunmi Osadolor (Glory and Gore, Crongton, Doctors) was compelling, and showed how Edmund grew as a character. I couldn't take my eyes off Katy Stephens (Titus Andronicus, Coriolanus, Much Ado About Nothing) as the White Witch, who incited fear and excitement into the audience as a brilliant antagonist. Through all her fear, I couldn’t help but laugh with Ed Thorpe (The Commitments, The Dressing Book, Gods and Dogs and Little Lily Harley) who was so humorous as Mr. Beaver, along with Anya de Villiers (The Play That Goes Wrong, Dorothy Back In Oz, The Prince and The Pauper), who played Mrs. Beaver with curiosity and wit. I also loved Alfie Richards (Treason, Whistle Down The Wind, Rearranged) as Mr. Tumnus, because he was so calm and easy to love, with some strong vocals too.

Kraig Thornber (Hello Dolly!, Guys and Dolls, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead) played The Professor with wisdom and elegance, and I just thought he was so pleasant to watch. I was very impressed by Shane Anthony Whiteley (The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Mikado, Wonka) because of the great skill it took to be Maugrim, the head wolf. I could not take my eyes off Stanton Wright (The Kite Runner, Cinderella, Great Expectations) when he walked onto the stage because he had such a powerful stage presence. He definitely did Aslan justice, as well as the puppeteers who controlled the grand puppet of Aslan too. All the puppeteers made Aslan and Schrodinger look so lifelike. The show would not have been as brilliant without the rest of the cast.

Elliot Clay (Murder For Two, The Mousetrap, Peter Pan), Andrew Davison (Pretty Woman: The Musical, We Will Rock You, Beauty And The Beast), Molly Francis (Frozen the Musical, Thriller Live, All New Adventures of Peter Pan), Ffion Haf (Grease, The Watchers), Rhiannon Hopkins (Alice in Wonderland, One Man, Two Guvnors, Dick Whittington), Joe Keenan (Jeeves and Wooster, The Railway Children, Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends: A Celebration), and Rhodri Watkins (Back To The Future: The Musical, Cinderella, Flashdance) brought beauty to the stage and captivated the audience as an assortment of Narnian creatures, and I must applaud them for their hard work.

I would’ve been so upset if I’d missed out on watching The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, because this show is just incredible. Tickets are on sale now, and lucky for you, it is at Lowry until Sunday 11^th January. So, whether you go as a Christmas treat, or a new year’s adventure, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is full of magic and heartbreak - and this is the one show you do not want to miss out on!

WE SCORE THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE...