Reviews: What Did Critics Think of the West End's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Having opened at the Leeds Playhouse back in 2017, The King of beasts, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been magically transported over to the Bridge Theatre in London, where it awaits to send y'all to its unique and bizarre world.

From the 2d you walk into the auditorium, the staging is a sight to behold and is quite the spectacle. Even every bit the show progresses, you feel whisked away into the earth 'backside the wardrobe'; especially as the prove melts out into the aisles!

Emerge Cookson emphasises perfectly the plight of the Pevensie children every bit evacuees, sent far from home as they miss their parents. Cookson is a sorcerer at blending simple theatrical tricks and ready design. The world of Narnia is conjured upwardly with white sheets billowing away, and train carriages are made out of vintage and onetime fashioned suitcases. The impressive costumes, puppetry and aerial work add to the whole atmosphere of the show.

Aslan, the unforgettable grapheme, is embodied by Wil Jhonson and represented past a winged lion puppet that has deep glowing eyes; and the White Witch, played by the mesmerising Laura Elphinstone, sports a headdress similar no other that towers above the residuum of the cast.

As her wintery hold over Narnia begins to break, the production becomes increasingly colourful. There are giant cubes of Turkish delight and vast foam flowers. Merely the play does not shy abroad from the darker parts of CS Lewis' allegory-heavy original. The creatures that populate the battle sequences are genuinely creepy – and potentially quite scary for young people.

The comedy moments are more often than not provided past Mr and Mrs Beaver (Dean Nolan and Beverly Rudd) and woodland creatures Annoy and Squirrel, who equally part of the neighbourhood lookout man pop upward from hidden trap doors and apply tin cans to communicate. They are all on hand to aid the children, leading them to Aslan the lion who is destined to help them fulfil the prophecy and gratuitous Narnia.

John Leader is able to add together emphasis to the vulnerability to the graphic symbol of Edmund, and Keziah Joseph is both spirited and plucky as immature Lucy.

On stage musicians create the changing mood, along with the lighting design past Bruno Poet and stunning aerial acrobatics herald the coming of spring. As Lucy and Susan (Keziah Joseph and Shalisa James–Davis) bring a youthful charm to their roles,Omari Bernard embodies Maugrim the wolf both vocally and physically, writhing, twisting, and snarling. He drew gasps of fright from some of the younger members of the audition.

This production certainly captures the center of the book, and as in Narnia time moves quicker than normal, before long the battle is over, the children have ruled Narnia for several years and suddenly we are back in the house wondering if information technology was all a dream.

Cookson has done a marvellous job of piecing together such a wonderful and much-loved family classic and immune for it to smooth brightly on the phase. This is more than just a bear witness; this is an unforgettable journey to the place we all wanted to visit every bit children; Narnia.