With 2025 marking the 75th anniversary of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Stoke-on-Trent theatre-goers are this week being treated to a wonderful stage adaptation of the classic CS Lewis children’s novel.

Set during the Second World War, the magical tale of courage, sacrifice and love revolves around four siblings - Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter - who have been evacuated to Scotland to live with an eccentric professor in an old house full of antiquities and hidden portals.

For those who have the imagination to believe in the possibility of a parallel world - where good and evil exist and the seemingly impossible can occur - The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe is a story that has it all. Truly magical in content, it beautifully blends reality with fantasy as the siblings encounter new friends, battle dangerous adversaries and learn about bravery, compassion, love and loyalty.

Directed by Michael Fentiman and with a stellar cast playing a wonderful array of roles, Chris Harper Productions and Catherine Schreiber have crafted a seriously stunning show that’s positively bursting with atmospheric music and props, authentic and creative costumes, and awe-inspiring puppetry. The set at times is dark and foreboding, the choreography menacing, but these moments are offset by a palpable sense of light and hope, ensuring that the production remains at all times a riveting rollercoaster ride of the emotions for its sure-to-be-enthralled family audience.

Of course, the show’s piece de resistance is without doubt the incredible portrayal of Aslan, both via puppetry and in human form. Stanton Wright is magnificent and mesmerising in the role. Kraig Thornber is delightfully engaging as the Professor/Father Christmas /Wise Owl. Ed Thorpe as Mr Beaver is funny and poignant, and Katy Stephens is magnificently threatening as the evil witch. Alfie Richards is splendidly endearing as Mr Tumnus and Anya De Villiers is beautifully practical as Mrs Beaver. The actors playing Peter (Jesse Dunbar), Susan (Joanna Adaran), Lucy (Kudzai Mangombe) and Edmund (Bunmi Osadolar) are an absolute joy to watch, bringing a charm and authenticity to their roles and effectively weaving together the narrative and the action.

An engaging and enchanting production, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe offers an evening of clever, dramatic and emotion-churning theatre which is not to be missed. The wardrobe into Narnia stays open in Stoke-on-Trent until the weekend.

Five stars

The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe was reviewed by Carol Lovatt on Tuesday 3 June at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, where it shows until Saturday 7 June and Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, Tuesday 28 October - Saturday 1 November.