Sally Cookson’s acclaimed production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe will embark on a UK are Ireland tour in November 2021.
The hit staging of C S Lewis’ seminal novel was most recently revived at the Bridge Theatre in London last Christmas having premiered at Leeds Playhouse in 2017.
The Guardian newspaper called the show “brilliantly inventive and a magical escape” with Time Out referring to it as “an ecstatic, shamanic and psychedelic take on the beloved fantasy novel” and the Daily Telegraph calling it “an absolutely spellbinding return to Narnia”.
Producer Chris Harper said: “CS Lewis wrote “they open a door and enter a world” and this is what every child imagines and dreams about. This is exactly why I’m thrilled to be able to bring this incredible new version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe on a tour of the UK in time for Christmas 2021. Following a record breaking success at the Leeds Playhouse and The Bridge Theatre in London, the Pevensie children will travel from Narnia to venues across the UK and Ireland.
“2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, but we can’t wait for children and adults alike to join us on this truly magical journey through the wardrobe next year.”
The tour will open at Curve Leicester on 2 November 2021 before visiting Aylesbury, Southampton, Sunderland, Salford, Cardiff, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Canterbury, Plymouth, Glasgow, Birmingham, Dublin, Woking and Norwich.
The production will be the main Christmas show at The Lowry in Sunderland running from 8 December 2021 until 15 January 2022.
The tour will be directed by Michael Fentiman (Amélie) with design by Tom Paris, and will be based on Sally Cookson’s initial production and Rae Smith’s original design.
The creative team includes composer Benji Bower, music supervisor/composer Barnaby Race, choreographer Shelley Maxwell, lighting designer Bruno Poet, sound designer Ian Dickinson and Gareth Tucker for Autograph, puppetry director Toby Olié, puppetry designer Max Humphries, aerial director Gwen Hales, illusionist Chris Fisher, dramaturg Adam Peck and movement consultant Dan Canham.
Tickets will be on sale soon.
Images from the production at the Bridge Theatre. Photo by Manuel Harlan.
