The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

C.S. Lewis, Adrian Mitchell

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781849435499
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

When this adaptation of C. S. Lewis's classic children's story opened at the RSC Stratford in November 1998, it received rave reviews and broke box office records. Four children are evacuated from London during the Blitz. While exploring the Professor's house, they stumble across the gateway to another world, and the adventure begins. The land of Narnia is under the spell of the wicked White Witch, and the four very quickly find themselves caught up in a deadly struggle between good and evil.

Act One

SCENE 1
The Dark Train

England. September 1939. War music.

The fluctuating high-pitched moan of an air-raid siren.

Two searchlights sweep the black sky. A silver barrage balloon caught in the lights. The drone of bombers.

A small light on stage shows the door of a dark railway carriage – a darkened torch held by a railway PORTER.

A portly Air Raid WARDEN in siren suit with ARP on his steel helmet, pounces.

WARDEN: Put out that light! Don’t you know there’s a war on?

PORTER: Just trying to show these kids their seats on the blessed train!

WARDEN: That don’t affect the black-out. If Hitler sees that torch he’ll bomb us all to bits.

PORTER: Now don’t you scare the children!

PETER: We’re not scared of Hitler, sir.

WARDEN shines his own torch on four children, standing in their coats. PETER is about thirteen, SUSAN twelve, EDMUND ten and LUCY about nine. The two boys wear caps, the two girls, hats.

All four have cubic cardboard boxes containing their gasmasks on string round their shoulders and their names on labels pinned to their coats.

WARDEN: Evacuees, eh?

LUCY: England’s at war with Germany. So we’re going to the country. Because London’s having bombs dropped on it.

WARDEN: And your names are? (Shines his torch on each in turn.)

PETER: Peter.

SUSAN: Susan.

EDMUND: Edmund.

LUCY: And Lucy. And our second name is Pevensie.

Sound of steam engine ready to go.

PORTER: In you hop now Pevensies. Your train’s ready.

The FOUR climb into their carriage.

WARDEN: No lights, mind.

PORTER: Good luck, kids

Sound of steam engine and the train getting up speed.

In the distance, planes, a few bombs and anti-aircraft guns receding.

The dark train travelling by the light of a white moon.

Steam fills the stage.

SCENE 2
The Steps of the Professor’s House

As the steam fades the lights come up and up and we hear birdsong. Early evening in spring. The children walking towards the steps leading up to a rambling country house.

On the steps stand three servants in uniform called IVY, MARGARET and BETTY. The smallest, BETTY, stands on the bottom step. MARGARET, the next smallest, on the second step. IVY, a little taller on the third step. Out of the house and on to the fourth step comes the Housekeeper, Mrs MACREADY, who is taller still, and very self-consciously efficient.

MACREADY: So! You’ll be the Evacuees.

LUCY: We’re the Pevensies.

MACREADY: How nice! Ration books, if you please!

The FOUR children proffer ration books.

One, two, three, four, Well, I suppose we’ll find room for you.

PROFESSOR Kirk music – light and cheerful and related to the Narnia music used later in the play.

PROFESSOR: (Appearing on the top step.) Of course we will. We’ll find a couple of rooms for them. Let me see, (Descending and shaking hands with each in turn.) – you will be Peter. And Susan. Edgar.

EDMUND: No, Edmund.

PROFESSOR: I beg your pardon – Edmund. And Lucy, child of light.

LUCY: Just Lucy, sir.

PROFESSOR: I’m Professor Kirk – this is my house and behold, this is my housekeeper, Mrs Macready. I find it wise to obey her in most things. And these are the maids – Ivy, Margaret and Betty. I hope your stay here will be happy and exciting.

PETER: Thank ...