14 November – 28 January        

Birmingham Rep’s big family show for the Christmas season is C.S. Lewis’s classic, running from now until the end of January, and they have invested well in ensuring an engaging production. But how well does this much-loved book adapt to the stage? We know that the cinema adaption grossed hundreds of millions, but the scale of budgets is incomparable, and theatre must rely on connecting the narrative to the audience in a more innovative and imaginative way. This production attempts to achieve that using a variety of stimuli including song, dance, puppetry, stage fighting, the use of pulleys that enable the characters to fly, and even some magic illusions. As a result, it is quite difficult to categorise, but its appeal is suitable for families with children from primary school age upward, and for those seeking some quality wholesome family entertainment. The creatives and director have managed to deliver a balanced show that neither overplays the underlying theology of Lewis’s story, nor dilutes it.

The cast all performed well, and the four children who drive the plot gave accomplished and confident accounts of themselves, especially the two ‘Daughters of Eve’, Susan played by Liyah Summers and Lucy played by Kudzai Mangombe. There were no weaknesses in the casting at all, and many of them acted, sang, danced, and played musical instruments, proving to be quadruple rather than merely triple-threats. The sound, staging and lighting were equal to the quality brought to the production by the cast, as were the special effects and puppets, although the audience were left to imagine Aslan’s hind legs and at times he appeared almost half-lion and half-tyrannosaurus rex.

Although not quite as obvious as other seasonal favourites such as The Nutcracker or The Polar Star, the story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has an obvious link to the season. Narnia is beset with perpetual winter, yet it is never Christmas. Despair without hope. Cue Sinterklaas, a larger-than-life variant on a familiar character in a red suit who pops up regularly about this time of year disseminating presents and good cheer. At this point, after the interval, the energy of the show lifted noticeably and was maintained until the end. This was as close to a pantomime number as the show came but did not cross the line and avoided any more audience participation than a collective clap-along.

The show lacked any big show-stopping songs, spectacular stunts, or superstar performances. Everything was high-quality and professional, but nothing stood out as particularly awe-inspiring. The pace of the first half did not flow as cohesively as the second half. Yet despite these criticisms, this was a thoroughly enjoyable event and a credible alternative for a seasonal family treat to the more commonplace pantomimes.