The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Flat Rock Playhouse
The most famous adaptations of C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — the BBC miniseries from the 1980s and the big-screen version from the mid-2000s — have trained audiences to expect adults in practically every role except the two Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.
The Flat Rock Playhouse’s current production says “fooey” to tradition and features a cast composed almost exclusively of children, a decision that pays off more often than not.
Told with impressive economy, the active storytelling compresses the narrative into a lean package that keeps the energy high under Lisa K. Bryant’s direction. The fun, simple, yet versatile set design from Sandra Lopez likewise allows the tale of four siblings in 1940s Britain who discover the magical land of Narnia to remain in focus. In tandem with CJ Barnwell’s diverse lighting cues, the backdrops consistently seem grander than they are and convey the high degree of wonder that the fantasy adventure demands.
The human performances are all capably handled and the three older children’s parts will have a different actor depending on the show. The Saturday, Nov. 9, matinee featured Landon Pierron as Peter, Kaitlyn Gilliam as Susan, and Xavier Cacanindian as Edmund, but each presentation has the good fortune of Ivy Rose Voloshin as Lucy. Her confident turn, full of clearly-spoken, charismatic lines starts the trend of impressive work from the ensemble’s smallest members.
The clear standout, however, is Kyra Hewitt as an extraordinarily compelling White Witch. From the instant she’s carted onstage aboard a reindeer-drawn carriage, the young actress makes a powerful impact with her delightfully oversized presence that’s all the more stunning considering her small stature. Hewitt’s frequent threats and outrages are nicely augmented by sound design from David Gerena that give her voice a cool electronic tone that resembles a ‘70s kung-fu film’s fight effects.
Considering most of the cast’s ages, it’s unreasonable to expect all-around greatness. A few of the Narnia animals didn’t quite have their delivery down on opening weekend, and whoever's decision it was to have Joseph Sherer play the White Witch’s secret police leader Fenris Ulf as a shouter is a regrettable one. There are other ways to be menacing without amplified volume — including costume designer Ashli Arnold Crump’s inspired choice to cloak Fenris and his fellow hunters in Gestapo-style black leather trench coats and caps.
Elsewhere, Bill Muñoz’s fight choreography is effective in single combat moments, but becomes lost in an unnecessarily chaotic final battle. Though his and Bryant’s work captures the messiness of war, it’s difficult to tell what’s going on in this climactic stretch — and audience members might miss out on key developments if they’re not watching the right characters.
Smoothing out these rough spots are The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’s few non-tykes, namely an excellent Rebekah Byrd as nervous faun Mr. Tumnus — successful casting of which is crucial to any adaptation of the beloved story — and Mitch Corn’s regal Aslan, who ably contended with some pesky post-resurrection mane issues without missing a beat. Their professionalism serves as a welcome balance to their young co-stars’ enthusiasm and makes the show one of the Playhouse’s few productions that theatergoers of all ages can enjoy together.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe runs through Nov. 17 at Flat Rock Playhouse. For tickets and details, visit flatrockplayhouse.org.
(Photos by Scott Treadway)
