CS Lewis’s famous fantasy operates on several levels: as Christian allegory, as time and space exemplar, and as a fairytale. Beloved by all readers since first publication in 1950, the book has been dramatised, serialised and filmed.
Glyn Robbins’ 1984 stage adaptation, true to text and spirit, is marvellously interpreted at the Brighton Little Theatre in time and tune for Christmas – which never happens in Narnia until Aslan returns.
Director Steven Adams manoeuvres an enormous cast on and off the tiny stage, ingeniously recreating talking animals and battles, while clever, simple sets became wardrobe and snowy forest.
Tess Gill played two cracking villains, Gerry Wicks impersonated Lewis, and Leigh Ward roared mightily, even if his army uniform jarred slightly.
Only the brief monarchical moment reminded me that the four Pevensie children were adult actors, and I believed in Lucy, Peter, Edmund and Susan utterly.
But although skilful actors can become children, becoming leopards and beavers required an element of pantomime that risks veering from the original. Fauns are another story and Neil Turk just ran away with it.
Wardrobes? Rabbit holes? Platform 9 and three-quarters: Bless me, what do they teach them in schools today?
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article