The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe At The Lyceum Theatre Sheffield Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Lindsay Burton
Last night, the stage came alive with Michael Fentiman’s striking production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. The multi-talented cast delivered a performance that was nothing short of captivating. I have never witnessed such an imaginative and artistically bold interpretation of this beloved children’s tale—truly unlike anything I’ve seen on stage before. With the film adaptation not being a musical, I was unsure what to expect, but the cast exceeded all expectations with a performance that was both powerful and inventive. It was a magnificent theatrical experience.
The cast of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, currently touring and performing at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre, features Katy Stephens as the terrifying yet remarkable White Witch. The Pevensie children are played by Joanna Adaran (Susan), Jesse Dunbar (Peter), Kudzai Mangombe (Lucy), and Bunmi Osadolor (Edmund), while Stanton Wright plays the majestic lion Aslan. The rest of the spectacular cast consists of Alfie Richards who played Mr Tumnus. Kraig Thornber played multiple roles including The Professor and a rather jolly Father Christmas. Ed Thorpe and Anya de Villiers made a delightful Mr and Mrs Beaver who both created many laugh-out-loud moments in the show. An incredibly gifted ensemble made up from Molly Francis, Ruby Greenwood, Ffion Haf, Rhiannon Hopkins, Joe Keenan, Oliver Magor, JB Maya, Luca Moscardini, Rhodri Watkins, and Shane Anthony Whiteley complete this dynamic and imaginative production. Let us also acknowledge the exceptional vocal and musical talents of the entire cast—each performer contributed beautifully to the production’s rich harmonies, which elevated the overall impact and played a key role in its resounding success. When the end of the show was upon us, it blew my mind at the number of people on stage – with the amount of action taking place, one would be certain that many more people would have been involved.
The creative team behind The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, now showing at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield, has done an incredible job bringing C.S. Lewis’s classic story to life. Directed by Michael Fentiman, the show features original music by Barnaby Race and Benji Bower added such a magical element to the entire show. I was especially blown away by the set – it was pure magic from start to finish.
Every inch of the stage was used so cleverly, making it feel like we were really stepping into Narnia. Huge credit to Tom Paris for the amazing set and costumes. The movement and choreography, led by Shannelle “Tali” Fergus, along with the lighting by Jack Knowles and sound by Tom Marshall, made it difficult on any one aspect as your eyes had so much to see and your eyes had so much to hear. Of course, Narnia wouldn’t be complete without Aslan, and thanks to Toby Olié’s puppetry direction and Max Humphries’ designs, he was brought to life in a really powerful way. Gwen Hales’ fantastical aerial work and Chris Fisher’s ingenious illusions added even more magic to the already jam-packed production. Will Burton handled casting and Susanna Peretz was in charge of wigs and make-up – massive shout out to them both for their skill.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is currently showing at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield until the 18th October. Tickets start at £15 and can be purchased from www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk. Running time including the interval is 2 hours and 15 minutes and the age recommendation is 6+. I rate this show as 5/5 – an absolute must see for all the family – do not miss this production.
Rating: 5/5
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/the-lion-the-witch-and-the-wardrobe-2025