Journey to Narnia these holidays

From left: Sebastian Byrne as Aslan the lion, Scarlett Edgar as Lucy and Christy Park as the White Witch. Photo / Geoff Lewis

In July Hamilton Playbox will journey into the magical world of Narnia in the stage adaptation of C S Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

A fantasy novel for children first published in 1950. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the best known of the seven novels of The Chronicles of Narnia.

The story is set in London during the Blitz of World War II, when thousands of British children were evacuated to the relative safety of the countryside.

Four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy are sent to live with an old professor. One day while exploring the professor's rambling old house they discover a wardrobe — one which turns out to be a portal to a new world, Narnia.

Narnia is a place of talking animals and mystical creatures and ruled by the evil White Witch. The lion Aslan gives his life to save one of the children but, in a nod to the Christian resurrection story, later rises from the dead to vanquish the White Witch and crowns the children as kings and queens.

Playbox publicist Lorna Ashton said the production brought together a blend of ages with experienced adult actors in the adult roles supporting young actors and children.
"This is a story of love, faith, courage and giving, with its triumph of good over evil and a celebration of life.

"Performances are during the July school holidays and, while introducing this classic story to a whole new generation, for many adults it will be a trip down memory lane as they experience once again this much-loved story."

The Playbox production has attracted a bunch of enthusiastic first-timers including Christy Park. Park plays the lead role of the evil White Witch. In real life she's a librarian at Koromatua School, about 10 minutes drive from Hamilton. Her first theatre role has become a family affair.

"At school I just love reading the books to the children and doing all the voices."
Park's daughters River, 11, and Meadow, 10, are also in the show as elves and woodland creatures and their cousins Drea, 11, and Dean Strother, 10, fellow Koromatua pupils, also play woodland creatures.

"I'd like to get the whole school to come and more kids into auditions," she said.

The part of Aslan the lion is taken by Sebastian Byrne. A Waikato University design student, Byrne is a theatre practitioner who runs his own company. Scarlett Edgar is a dance student at the Valerie Lissette School of Dance and plays Lucy — one of the four children, who discovers the secret land of Narnia.

Scarlett has taken parts in several Riverlea productions and her little sister Daisy is also in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

The show is directed by Coryn Knapper. Knapper's most recent production for Playbox was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in 2016.

However, well know for her contribution to musical theatre, she provided direction for Musikmaker's Annie Junior earlier this year and High School Musical and Aladdin Junior in 2018.

■ The Hamilton Playbox production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, based on the Joseph Robinette stage adaptation, with the permission of Play Bureau, can be seen at Riverlea Theatre from 6 to 20 July. Tickets on line at iticket.co.nz