Narnia is a wonderful and dangerous place. Alberta Theatre Projects’ production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe illustrates this succinctly. With a delightful cast and grand puppets, this performance is a work of wonder.
Narnia is a wonderful and dangerous place. Alberta Theatre Projects’ production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe illustrates this succinctly. With a delightful cast and grand puppets, this performance is a work of wonder.
The story tells of Lucy (Annabel Beames), who discovers the other world of Narnia through a wardrobe. Lucy meets Tumnus the Faun (Kristy Benz) and hears about the White Witch (Brianna Johnston) who rules Narnia. She goes back through the wardrobe to fetch her other siblings and finds Edmund (Lucian-River Chauhan), who she brings first through the wardrobe. When she leaves Edmund on his own to find Tumnus, Edmund meets the Witch and she makes sweet promises to him. When their other siblings Susan (Anna Dalgleish) and Peter (Daniel Fong) make their way through the wardrobe and meet Mr. and Mrs Beaver (Kevin Rothery and Elinor Holt), Edmund sneaks off to meet the Witch in her castle. There is talk of Aslan the Lion (Bruce Horak and puppeteer Jerod Blake) and a prophecy and a great battle. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe has it all.
There are many things that makes this production magical. The puppeteering of Aslan and The Unicorn (Johnston), the talent of the four siblings, the pure evil emanating from Johnston in her performance as the Witch and the grandeur of Horak as Aslan, to name a few. There is a charming dynamic between Holt and Rothery as the Beavers and the Witch’s warrior Fenris Ulf (David Sklar) is conniving and dangerous. Additionally, Hanne Loosen’s set and costume design contributes to the charm of the production. Tumnus’ shoes are hoof heels and the Beavers have simple but fitting costumes. The Witch has a billowing dress with cape and Fenris has an amazing costume. Siobhán Sleath’s lighting design combined with Arvin Siegfried’s sound design ensures the magic of the production, pumping drama into the storm and battle scenes.
Director Darcy Evans has realized a vision of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe that is magical and grand by presenting intriguing puppets, a talented cast and some witty dialogue for the adults. It comes as no surprise that this production is the highest selling show of all time for Alberta Theatre Projects.
Alberta Theatre Projects’ production of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe runs until December 29th. More information is available online.
Photo Credit: Benjamin Laird Arts and Photos.