Carly could not wait to return to Milton Keynes Theatre last night (22/07) to see the highly-anticipated The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and here is her full review...
The experience
I want to begin with saying I completely and utterly fell in love with the imagery released to promote this show, the colourful depiction of Aslan I thought was just beautiful and then it got even better as it arrived in Centre:mk made from flowers! So it's safe to say I was reeled in from the beginning and I was looking forward to or perhaps backwards to my childhood, memories of the wonderful books, the series that I used to watch after school and the posters that I had on my bedroom wall!
The show opens with a single piano being played on the stage, this very quickly becomes a busy and bustling train station where evacuees are being shipped away from war. A rousing performance of "We'll Meet Again" set the scene for the show that followed.
I was mesmerised by characters that were also musicians sometimes carrying a prop as well as their instrument. This was the thing that stood out in this show many characters played multiple roles and as well as being able to act and sing they were talented musicians too!
A highlight for me was the appearance of Sinta Clause, the gift giver, seeing the joy on the faces of the children in the audience was just wonderful! Like everyone else I was awaiting the arrival of Aslan to see how it would work and it didn't disappoint, I wont ruin the surprise but if like me you are intrigued you need to book your tickets quickly whilst the show is still at our lovely theatre!
Please take a listen to the interview that MKFM recorded with Kraig Thornber who plays The Professor.
The story
C.S. Lewis’ book was first published in October 1950. Since then, over 85 million copies in 60 languages have been sold. It is one of the top ten best-selling books of all time. The stage adaptation of Lewis’ iconic book enjoyed a hugely successful, critically-acclaimed London run in 2022/3.
Producer Chris Harper said: ‘We can’t wait for children and adults alike to join us on this spectacular new journey through the wardrobe and are proud to be marking the 75th anniversary of the publication of CS Lewis’ novel with this tour.’
Director Michael Fentiman added: ‘I’m delighted to be taking our beautiful production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe on a major tour of the UK and Ireland in 2025. The production celebrates the magic of live theatre and is led by a multi-talented cast of actors, singers, musicians, dancers and puppeteers; it is a celebration of the possibilities of collective imagination and the boundless wonders of individual skill.’
Step through the wardrobe into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Join Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain and embark on the most magical of adventures in a frozen, faraway land where they meet Mr. Tumnus the faun, talking beavers, Aslan (the noble king of Narnia) and the coldest, most evil White Witch.
Book your tickets now
Performances: Tue 22 Jul - Sat 26 Jul 2025 (evenings @ 7pm, matinees @ 2pm)
Access bookings: 0333 009 5399
Group bookings: 0207 206 1174
Online Booking: ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes*
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