The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Design wise, the show perfectly blends common clothing styles of the war period with high fantasy and winter wear to create a truly eclectic design aesthetic. The use of strip lights to create glowing circles gives the stage space depth and further enhances the fantasy element through the visualisation of the flow of both time (considering that Narnia exists within a different flow of time) and magic.  Moveable set pieces not only allow for quicker scene changes, but also stylishly set the scene through their minimalism. Additionally, the use of these elements without much of a backdrop shows that the design team has not underestimated the intellect of the audience in being able to understand the settings implied.

The choreography ( choreographed by Shanelle ‘Tali’ Fergus) in this play really highlights what Sadler’s Wells does best: creating artistry through movement and using the body to tell stories. Combined with Michael Fentiman’s direction, which really shines during the effortlessly smooth scene transitions, they are a creative force to be reckoned with. They understand their audience and don’t tone down anything to fit the youngest because they don’t underestimate their understanding, which gives the story an almost Disney fairy tale esque feel (especially in the darker moments) and thus gives the show a rare sense of universality.