Aslan is on the Move...

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at Gillian Lynne Theatre, London

Jan 07, 2023

Allie had no idea I am re-reading the Narnia series and am currently immersing myself in C.S. Lewis’s work. She just knew “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” was playing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in Covent Garden and that tonight’s show was to be its second-to-last since opening last Summer and she wanted me to see it before the show - and I - were no longer in London. When I told her about my reading of Narnia, her eyes sparkled in recognition of Serendipity. I just love Serendipity. One cannot help but wonder at it…

We stopped in for a bite at a Vietnamese restaurant just a few paces from the theatre. It was supremely delicious, one of those places you would like to return to again and again. But, Allie and I both agreed, there’s just too many other really, really good restaurants to explore in London to stick with just one!

But, should you ever be in the West End and you’re hankering for excellent Vietnamese, here you are: Hoa Sen Vietnamese Restaurant

The theatre venue was beautiful, not too big, in a semi-circular configuration. There were lots of children in the audience which was lovely. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is apparently England’s favorite novel. Of course it is.

I was a bit confused by the military man at the piano at the beginning until I remembered that the whole reason Lucy, Susan, Peter, and Edmund Pevensie found the wardrobe in the first place was because the story was set during World War II and, because of the bombings occurring in the cities, especially London but certain other urban areas too, in order to protect the children, many were evacuated away from their parents and families to other safer homes in the country, often with strangers. And that was what happened to the Pevensie children. That was what started the entire story. It was a great sacrifice by all: children, parents, families, country. Many of the children were not only separated from their families during one of the mightiest wars in history but also lived with the knowledge that their parents, brothers, uncles, and cousins were fighting and their mothers, older sisters, aunts, and female cousins left behind were living under the ever-present threat of bombings and/or were actively engaged in the war effort, with all it’s inherent dangers.

Once, I remembered this, I began to understand the military man at the piano on stage. The Pevensie children were leaving the city and their parents to go to a strange home in the country to be safe during a great war. They were war refugees if you think on it, weren’t they?

Edmund, Peter, Lucy, and Susan at the train station. Courtesy of lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Knowing the history of the time, as everyone in the audience would (no other people I know honor their military history and their heroes - from the most decorated veteran to the ambulance drivers to the brave children - better than the British), the show started with a stirring rendition of “We’ll Meet Again” which still brings tears as I think of it. I don’t have a video of the song, but I found a touching version of the song sung on “Britain’s Got Talent” and the emotions of the judges and audience were similar to what we experienced in the theatre:

Leaving home. The puppetry and use of props was quite clever and surprising! Courtesy of lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Susan, Lucy, Peter, and Edmund arriving at the Professor’s house. Photo courtesy of lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

[Photos were not allowed during the performance so I have borrowed liberally from the show’s website. See photo captions.]

Meeting the professor and Schrödinger, his cat. By wartime, many in the country would have been aware of the 1935 quantum thought experiment, “Schrödinger's cat”, by Nobel Prize winning Austrian scientist Erwin Schrödinger. The cat puppet (and puppeteer) brought lots of laughter.

Lucy soon finds the wardrobe and enters Narnia with its endless Winter,

Lucy entering Narnia. Courtesy of lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

meets Mr. Tumnus, the faun,

Lucy meets the Faun. Courtesy of lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Lucy and the Faun. Courtesy of lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

her siblings join her,

Lucy, Edmund, Peter, and Susan with Mrs. Beaver. Courtesy of lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Mrs. Beaver, who also played the violin! The musicians were also part of the cast! Fascinating and brilliant! She and Mr. Beaver had snowshoes for tails! Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

and the great adventure in Narnia begins! Edmund is tricked by the White Witch into betraying Narnia and his siblings which wreaks great havoc but then there are rumors that Aslan is on the move! And, at his presence, a Great Thaw ensues, the endless winter begins to end, a fierce battle must be fought, and Aslan dies to save Edmund and the all of Narnia…

Mr. Beaver (center) with some of the other talking animals of Narnia. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Edmund and the cursed Turkish Delight. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Edmund, realizing he’s been cruelly tricked. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Aslan. In the show he was portrayed both as this incredible puppet and by this lionly man. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Terms of war. The White Queen and Aslan. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Aslan the Great Lion. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Aslan and Lucy. lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Aslan and the White Queen. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Just so impressive. A photo will never capture the magnificence of this scene. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Peter defeating Maugrim, the wolf. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

Aslan must die. A sacrifice of love. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

But, then ultimately, victory!!! And, the endless Winter ends and Father Christmas shows up!

Father Christmas - Santa Claus - and the Winter Dance! Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

And, spring returns!

Mr. Tumnus’s flower. Courtesy lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe/

And Aslan, who is wild after all, leaves us, very much alive.

It was a brilliant show. The Aslan puppet, and all the other puppets and mechanisms and props, were so impressive and the outside-the-box rendition of the story, with puppets and musicians who were also characters, and the set and lighting, it was all entirely enjoyable and entertaining.

Please take a look at this wonderful 2 1/2 minute backstage pass of sorts where the actor, Chris Jared, who plays the human Aslan meets the giant puppet Aslan: