Little Lark of London

“A lion walks once more”

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, a stage adaptation of the classic C. S. Lewis work, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, returns to London after a run on the West End a few years ago. This production, directed by Mike Fentiman, is performing at Sadler’s Wells. The show follows the Pevensie children – Lucy (Kudzai Mangombe), Edmund (Bunmi Osadolor), Peter (Jesse Dunbar) and Susan (Joanna Adaran) – as they are evacuated from London to stay with an eccentric professor (Kraig Thornber). However, things quickly take a magical turn as the children find themselves stepping through a wardrobe in a spare room and ending up the the world of Narnia. 

The stage production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is a blend of different styles of storytelling, with several of the cast members both acting and playing instruments (with music composed by Barnaby Race and Benji Bower), and others taking on the roles of puppeteers, with puppets designed by Max Humphries. Even before entering the world of Narnia, there is magic on stage, with clever magic and illusions by Chris Fisher being used to transform the stage into train stations and foreboding estates (Set Design by Tom Paris). 

This particular version of the tale is not afraid to delve into the darker aspects of the show, particularly when it comes to the White Witch (Katy Stephens) and her “Cruels,” including the intimidating Maugrim (Shane Anthony Whiteley), who leaps around on stilts. Poor Edmund finds himself being tortured by the White Witch, with Stephens doing a fantastic job of bringing life to such an intimidating character. Her cronies, the “Cruels,” are strange creatures dressed in all black, reminiscent of goblins or other dark creatures found in fantasy novels. Several children had to be comforted by their guardians during the interval, with adults comforting them with words like “Don’t worry, it’s not real” and “The lion will be here soon!” 

Indeed, the great lion himself, Aslan (Stanton Wright) does not appear until the second act of the show, with three puppeteers (Rhodri Watkins, Andrew Davison and Molly Francis) breathing life into the majestic creature. Even the most cynical adult will find themselves in awe at the entrance of Aslan, with the music swelling and the performers on stage down on bended knee to pay respect to the king. But that’s not to say that the entire production is full of darkness, as there are plenty of joyful moments as well. Most of the comedic highlights come from Mr Beaver (Ed Thorpe), who is excited to help the Pevensie children – perhaps a bit too excited, as he is scolded by his wife, the more analytical Mrs Beaver (Anya de Villiers). There’s also an appearance by Father Xmas, played by Thornber doubling up on roles (as many do in this production). An unexpected delight comes from the Professor’s cat, Schoedinger, brought to life by Andrew Davison. 

With all of these magical moments, the more human aspects do get a bit lost, particularly when it comes to the Pevensie children themselves. There are moments in which their story is explored, mostly during scene changes between the human world and Narnia, with Mrs Pevensie (Molly Francis) and a member of the military (presumed to be Mr Pevensie) embracing and running along with evacuated children. The dialogue feels a bit lost between the music and the magic, but this is easily forgiven by the sheer majesty of the production as a whole.

Ultimately, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is a beautiful interpretation of the classic novel, bringing the beloved characters to the stage in a unique and artful manner. The actors do a fantastic job of making magic at Sadler’s Wells for people of all ages. 

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe runs from 20 August to 7 September at Sadler’s Wells before continuing to tour until 11 January 2026. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.