THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE To 2 January
Basingstoke.
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE
by C.S. Lewis adapted by Glyn Robbins.
Haymarket Theatre Wote Street To 2 January 2010.
Runs 1hr 50min One interval.
TICKETS: 01256 844244.
www.anvilarts.org.uk
Review: Mark Courtice 8 December 2009.
Austere fable.
At Christmas in Basingstoke the Haymarket Theatre does the literary adaptations while the Anvil has the panto. This year the impression of worthiness at the former is dispelled neither by the choice of CS Lewis's fable nor this reverential production.
The story of four siblings who venture into an ancient world that they are destined to rule was written during the Second World War, so battlefield heroism and the evils of the fascist state are combined with the central Christian allegory of Aslan the lion who appears to save the world.
Here there is very little of this context as the children gather in front of huge black wardrobe doors through which they quickly pass into a great blank white space that is Narnia. With practical tables and chairs for interiors, it's left to swishing white drapes and Stephen Holroyd's vigorous lighting and projections to provide some animation. Things like the crucial lamp-standard or the four thrones that await the children are left to the audience's imagination. The Narnian costumes provide the lavish touches.
Robbins's adaptation is austere and a bit thin. Admirably things keep moving, but subtlety is sacrificed; the plot is perfunctory and the characters are ciphers - a shortcoming embarrassingly pointed up when the children announce the way they intend to rule in po-faced clichés of goodness.
Lewis’s story depends crucially on us loving the characters; here the actors have little to go on. They are mostly young, and with loads of commitment, but it's hard for the audience to care, so there is little tension or emotion in the big moments when Aslan dies, or Edmund learns not to be a little beast.
Caroline Corrie's White Witch is well done - a true baddie, cold right through to the heart and vigorously horrible. Jo Castleton and Marc Geoffrey work hard to make the Beavers a warm-hearted contrast.
Richard Williams’s production is cool and uninvolving. There are few jokes, and the action is limited to the fights. Cynthia Millar’s vague, shimmering, ambient score underscoring chunks of solemn dialogue doesn’t provide much fire.
Aslan/Professor: Howard Saddler.
The White Witch/Mrs Macready: Caroline Corrie.
Peter: David Tudor.
Susan: Anne-Marie Piazza.
Edmund: Michael Bryher.
Lucy: Martina Horrigan.
Mrs Beaver: Jo Castleton.
Mr Beaver: Marc Geoffrey.
Maugrim: Doron Davidson.
Mr Tumnus: Thomas Wilton.
Father Christmas/Leopard: John Sandeman.
Leopard: Bill Uden.
Wolf: John Torrie.
Director: Richard Williams.
Designer: David Collis.
Lighting: Stephen Holroyd.
Music: Cynthia Millar.
2009-12-10 12:09:32