The Magician’s Nephew: Little Magic in this script

Photo credit: Claude Haché

American playwright Aurand Harris apparently believes that morals rammed down the throats of young audiences will be best remembered if repeated and rammed a little harder the second and third time. (Harris, author of some 36 plays for children is best known for his Androcles and the Lion.)

His 1955 dramatization/adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis must have seemed heavy-handed even 60 years ago. In the 21^st century, it is well beyond its best-before date.

Perhaps this is why the performances in the 9^th Hour Theatre Company production creak more than a little with wooden characterizations and unconvincing accents.

 

The good news about the show directed by Jonathan Harris is the imaginative staging and interesting puppetry. The most effective and credible sections of the production are through the scene changes from real to fantasy worlds, the movements of the “animals” and the sight of Aslan the Lion filling the stage. It is a pity that the fluid movement between the worlds is hampered by awkward dialogue and stilted acting.

 

The Magician’s Nephew played at the Studio Theatre, Centrepointe from March 12 to 16, 2014.

Dramatized by Aurand Harris

Adapted from The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

9^th Hour Theatre Company

Director: Jonathan Harris

Technical director: Kyle Ahluwalia

Set: Emily Sousanna

Lighting: John Solman

Costumes: Mishelle Stott

Music: Margaret Smith

Puppet design: Grace Solman

Cast:

Digory……………………………………………………………….Darren Emery

Polly…………………………………………………………………Sarah Stapleton

Aunt Letty/puppeteer..………………………………………………Janet Rice

Uncle Andrew……………………………………………………….Paul Washer

Queen Jadis………………………………………………………….Gabrielle Lazarovitz

Aslan/puppeteer…………………………………………………….. Ken Tucker

Bird…………………………………………………………………. Caroline Baldwin

Monkey………………………………………………………………Nicholas Amott

Rabbit……………………………………………………………….. Bekah Shirey

Bear…………………………………………………………………… Jeff Lefebvre

Musicians………………………………………….…Martain Pearson, Margaret Smith