The smash hit Leeds Playhouse production of C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, voted the nation’s favourite book in 2019, will begin a major tour of the UK and Ireland at Curve, Leicester on Tuesday 2 November 2021.
The show, which broke box office records at Leeds Playhouse in 2017 and played to packed houses and critical acclaim at the Bridge Theatre in London in 2019, will travel across the UK & Ireland, including a 6-week Christmas season at The Lowry in Salford.
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 a Faun, talking Beavers, Aslan, the noble king of Narnia, and the coldest, most evil White Witch.
The tour will be directed by Michael Fentiman, based on the original production by Sally Cookson with original Set and Costume design by Rae Smith. Michael’s previous productions include the Olivier Award-nominated Amélie (Watermill Theatre/The Other Palace/UK Tour), The Importance of Being Earnest (Vaudeville Theatre), the 50th anniversary production of Joe Orton’s Loot (Park Theatre/Watermill Theatre), Titus Andronicus and Ahasverus (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Taming of the Shrew (Sherman Theatre/Tron Theatre) and, as director and writer, CinderELLA (Nuffield Southampton) and The Last Days of Anne Boleyn (Tower of London).
Joining Michael Fentiman on the creative team are Set and Costume Designer Tom Paris, 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.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is produced on tour by Elliott & Harper Productions in association with Catherine Schreiber and based on the original Leeds Playhouse production.
Producer Chris Harper said: “C.S. 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.”
Full tour details can be found here
