THEATER | A martyrific holiday spectacular at the Children's Theatre
Above: High School Musical 4: The Biblical Allegory? l-r: Erin Hampe, Nathan Barlow, and Teresa Doran. Below: Dean Holt and Autumn Ness. Photos by Rob Levine, courtesy CTC.
Parents taking the family out for a night at the theater may have some idea that they are ushering their children into a magical land of wonder and imagination, distant from the hyperkinetic squawking of the television set. Some such parents may be surprised to discover that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe—the musical production now being presented by the Children’s Theatre Company—rockets by with a frenetic glibness that makes an episode of Animaniacs look like My Dinner With Andre.
| the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe, a musical written by adrian mitchell with music by shaun davey, directed by rebecca lynn brown. presented through january 3 by the children’s theatre company, 2400 3rd ave. s., minneapolis. for tickets ($27.50-$54.50) and information, see childrenstheatre.org. |
They need all the energy they can get, because Adrian Mitchell’s adaptation has a lot of ground to cover among its frustratingly frequent pauses for Shaun Davey’s unhummable songs. (The background soundtrack is more effective, though daringly atonal elements in the White Witch’s entrance cue suggest that her aesthetic affinity with the musically conservative Hitler has its limits.) Given that nearly every plot development requires an exposition of Narnian cosmology to make any sense, it’s to Mitchell’s credit that the story holds together as well as it does. Magic? Deep magic? Deeper magic, from before the dawn of time? Check, check, and check.
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The play’s climax involves a horrifically noble act of self-sacrifice, but this production has so little emotional gravity that the murder of the martyr feels like nothing more or less than an excuse for some stone-table voguing by the White Witch and her minions. (Autumn Ness, as the witch, has an appropriately wicked “Blue Steel” pout.) Ansa Akyea, whose complex performance was the heart of the History Theatre’s Kirby, here is consigned to playing Aslan as a jovial buddy rather than a tortured redeemer. When Peter Pevensie messily guts a sentient wolf and Aslan counsels him to, “whatever happens, never forget to wipe your sword,” the grinning Akyea sounds like a pitchman for Gillette.
But in all fairness, I’m not a member of the CTC’s target audience. At the performance I attended, the many young theatergoers were visibly enthralled. When Mr. Beaver, having hardly sobered up from his drinking song, launched into a tuneless paean to the absent Aslan, I leaned over to my seven-year-old guest and whispered, “I think that in my review, I’m going to say there’s too much singing.” She looked up at me and shook her head like I was crazy. Grownups today…we’re so hard to please.
Jay Gabler (jay@tcdailyplanet.net) is the Daily Planet’s arts editor.
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Comments
Did we see the same show?
I also saw this show recently but can’t say I have one negative comment. I thought the acting was terrific. Each character, especially the four children, kept me and my two kids absolutely entranced. I didn’t find it too fast, too energetic, or too frantic. Perhaps the last line of your review explains this, at least for yourself. I went in hoping to enjoy a night with my kids. And I did. We had a fabulous time, as did most of the kids leaving the theater. But that’s the problem with some reviewers. They go in looking for a catchy headline and become hyper critical and lose the big picture. Maybe you could speak with your seven year old. She probably has a more accurate opinion than yourself. I would tell everyone to go see it. It is fun and fresh and will keep your kids laughing for a good week or two.
Such a Waste
This was an expensive and creative production of a story not well suited to the stage, and the magical elements were well interpreted. Aslan and the Witch, wonderful. The four kids? What four kids? The cast four very competent adults in the roles of the four children, even eight year old Lucy, which RUINED this production. My kids could also see plainly that they were adults, and so much suspension of disbelief was required to see this brought to the stage, that trying to pretend that four adults are kids was too much. Further, it was an insult to the vibrant community of child actors in the TC, hundreds of whom spend thousands of dollars to complete CHILDREN’S theatre company workshops….yet CTC couldn’t find any children to portray these characters? Here’s hoping Romeo and Juliet aren’t being played by a couple of middle-aged actors.
Young Adults, Perhaps
I’ve discarded the program notes, but it was my impression that Peter and Susan were played by teenagers, and Edmund and Lucy were played by young teens or pre-teens. Older than eight, certainly…but far from adults. I didn’t think the casting was unreasonable in that respect.
Give the kids credit
Read the program. You would find that the four lead children are not all adults. Second, as a friend of someone in the production process of CTC, this ‘vibrant community of child actors’ is some sort of folklore. Yes, there are aplenty of children interested in theater, but there is not a vast assortment of them capable of holding a lead role and able to commit to the process. Having only read the book and not seen the movie, I was EXTREMELY impressed by how true to the book it was and how beautiful it played out. And my children had no complaints. They loved the four KIDS. And FYI, Romeo and Juliet will be played by actors in their mid-twenties. Want to rant about that too?
"Kids" at CTC.
I kept my program and read it carefully. None of the four actors in Lion/Witch/Wardrobe were children, not one. All were 18 and over, even little Lucy, so to Jay Gabler—I’m glad you were properly swept away by the illusion and enjoyed the play. Laura, I am “in the business” too, and am personally aware of many of the hundreds of working child actors in this town—many of whom have appeared in past CTC productions. If these children aren’t competent for stage roles, why on earth would CTC continue to “audition” them into expensive and lengthy workshops? Also, you’re the one who didn’t read the program. Not a one of those four actors is a minor. Check again. As for Romeo and Juliet? YES, it too should have been cast with children. Juliet in Shakespeare’s story is 13 years old. Remember Fashion 47 from last year? There were dozens of excellent teen actors in that production. I could keep naming productions that featured actual kids, but, more importantly, the CTC’s nonprofit mission has never been just to present theatre FOR children, but to present theatre that actively engages children in its productions. Glad your kids liked the play, however.
Wrong again.
Two of the actors were in high school. As in not 18. Which I know because I took the liberty of finding out. Two are 17, not little, of course, but not ALL OVER 18, as you claim. So yes, in this country where we live they are considered minors. Oh, and I’m going to ask you to refer to your program once again. Four actors from Fashion 47 were in this production. And of those four three of them were seniors. In high school. Like the leads. Kids grow up, crazy, right? And CTC does not spend money on ‘lengthy audition processes.’ The ‘workshops’ you refer to COST money. The kids pay to participate in these classes. The audition process requires paper, an open room and a table of the creative team. That must be super expensive. ALso, believe it or not, different people audition for each show. They aren’t given the same selection of drab actors time and time again. You want to make an actual point? Open a theater, find this ‘vibrant community’ of ten-year-olds, and do the show better.
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