Producers of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, celebrating theĀ 75th Anniversary of the publication of C.S. Lewis novel and opens at Leeds Playhouse on 14 December 2024, today announced its full cast as well as additional tour venues, including a return to London this summer.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will play at Londonās Sadlers Wells Theatre from 20 August to 7 September 2025.
Award-winning Ā Katy Stephens will play The White Witch.Ā Katyās extensive stage career includes leading roles at Shakespeareās Globe and the Royal Shakespeare Company with whom she is an Associate Artist.Ā Katy was part of the team that won the Olivier Award for Best Ensemble Performance for the RSCās Histories Cycle where her roles included Joan of Arc and Margaret of Anjou.Ā Katy will also play Mrs Macready.
Katy Stephens said:Ā āThe role of Her Imperial Majesty Jadis, Queen of Narnia in this thrilling stage version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is something I canāt wait to play.Ā The thought of casting a spell over Narnia to make it always winter but never Christmas is simply tantalising.Ā Let the magic begin!ā
Brand new images of Katy Stephens as The White Witch by Ellie Kurttz can be downloaded here.
Playing the Pevensie Children are:Ā Joanna Adaran as Susan, Jesse Dunbar as Peter, Kudzai Mangombe as Lucy and Bunmi Osadolor as Edmund.
The cast is completed by:Ā Archie Combe (Mr Pope and Foxtrot), Andrew Davison (Mr Wilson Schroedinger, Jack Rabbit, Aslan Puppeteer and Head Cruel),Ā Anya de Villiers (Mrs Beaver), Molly Francis (Mrs Pevensie, Aslan Puppeteer and Robin) Ruby Greenwood (Onstage Swing) Ffion Haf (Miss Gumley-Warmley and Phoenix), Rhiannon Hopkins (Miss Chutney and Blue Badger), Joe Keenan (Mr Granville, Spirit of the Moon and Red Squirrel), Oliver Magor (Onstage Swing), JB Maya (Onstage Swing), Luca Moscardini (Onstage Swing), Alfie Richards (Mr Tumnus, White Mouse and Badger), Kraig Thornber (The Professor, Father Xmas and Wise Owl),Ā Ed Thorpe (Mr Beaver), Rhodri Watkins (Mr Brinkworth, March Hare and Aslan Puppeteer) and Shane Anthony Whiteley (Maugrim, Satyr and White Stag) and Stanton Wright as Aslan.
Biographies and headshots of the cast can be downloaded here.
C.S. Lewisā book was first published in October 1950.Ā Since then, over 85 million copies in 60 languages have been sold. It is one of the top ten best-selling books of all time. The stage adaptation of Lewisā iconic book enjoyed a hugely successful, critically-acclaimed London run in 2022/3.
Producer Chris Harper said: āWe canāt wait for children and adults alike to join us on this spectacular new journey through the wardrobe, and are proud to be marking the 75th anniversary of the publication of CS Lewisā novel with this tour.ā
Director Michael Fentiman added: āIām delighted to be taking our beautiful production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe on a major tour of the UK and Ireland in 2025.Ā The production celebrates the magic of live theatre and is led by a multi-talented cast of actors, singers, musicians, dancers and puppeteers; it is a celebration of the possibilities of the collective imagination and the boundless wonders of individual skill.ā
Step through the wardrobe into theĀ enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Join Lucy,Ā Edmund, Susan and Peter as they wave goodbye to wartime Britain andĀ embark onĀ the most magical of adventures in a frozen, faraway landĀ where they meet Mr Tumnus theĀ faun, talking beavers, Aslan (the noble king of Narnia) and the coldest, mostĀ evil White Witch.
The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeĀ is directed byĀ Michael FentimanĀ based on the original production byĀ Sally Cookson.Ā TheĀ Set and Costume Designer is Tom Paris,Ā Composers areĀ Barnaby RaceĀ andĀ Benji Bower, the Choreographer is Ā Shannelle āTaliā Fergus, the Lighting Designer isĀ Jack Knowles, the Sound Designer isĀ Tom Marshall, the Original Puppetry DirectorĀ is Toby OliĆ©, the Original Puppetry Designer isĀ Max Humphries, the Aerial Director isĀ Gwen Hales,Ā the Fight Director is Jonathan Holby, the IllusionistĀ is Chris Fisher, the Musical Director is Ben Goddard, the Hair and Make-Up Designer isĀ Susanna Peretz.Ā Ā The Associate Director is Pip Minnithorpe, the Associate Lighting Designer is Emily Irish, the Associate Direcor and Associate Puppetry Director is Oliver Grant, Associate Magic and Illusions is by Spooky Nyman, the Associate Fight Director is Owain Gwynn, the Associate Movement Director is Jasmin Colangelo, the Production Manager is Phoebe Bath and the Casting Director is Ā Will Burton CDGĀ for Grindrod Burton Casting.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will play in Leeds through Christmas 2024, and in 2025 is scheduled to visit Leicester Curve, Cardiff Millennium Centre, Liverpool Empire, Theatre Royal Newcastle, Theatre Royal Brighton, New Victoria Theatre Woking, Princess Theatre Torquay, Wycombe Swan Theatre, Cliffs Pavilion Southend-on-Sea, Grand Opera House York, Grand Opera House Belfast, Bord Gais Energy Theatre Dublin, Festival Theatre Edinburgh, Alexandra Theatre Birmingham, Regent Theatre Stoke-on-Trent, Kingās Theatre Glasgow, His Majestyās Theatre Aberdeen, Eden Court Highlands Inverness, Norwich Theatre Royal, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury, Milton Keynes Theatre, Winter Gardens Blackpool, Venue Cymru Llandudno, Ā Congress Theatre Eastbourne, Bristol Hippodrome, Alhambra Theatre Bradford, Sadlers Wells Theatre London, Hull New Theatre, Waterside Theatre Aylesbury, the Grand Theatre Wolverhampton, Nottingham Theatre Royal,Ā Sunderland Empire, the Mayflower Theatre Southampton, Plymouth Theatre Royal and The Lowry, Salford.
Further venues and dates will be confirmed.
Tickets are on sale across the tour. For all information on venues and ticketing details, visitĀ www.lionwitchonstage.com.