The staged production of C.S Lewis’ classic book The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe may have been pushed back slightly, but it will still be heading out on tour!

The hit production, which broke box office records when it played at Leeds Playhouse in 2017, and then went on to play the Bridge Theatre to packed audiences last Christmas, has been revived and will head out on a UK and Ireland tour next Autumn. The production will also run at The Lowry in Salford as their main Christmas show from 8 December 2021 to 15 January 2022. 

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is produced by Elliot & Harper Productions, in association with Catherine Schreiber and is based on the original Leeds Playhouse production.

Producer Chris Harper said: “C.S. Lewis wrote “they open a door and enter a world” and this is what every child imagines and dreams about. This is exactly why I’m thrilled to be able to bring this incredible new version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe on a tour of the UK in time for Christmas 2021. Following a record-breaking success at the Leeds Playhouse and The Bridge Theatre in London, the Pevensie children will travel from Narnia to venues across the UK and Ireland.

“2020 has been a challenging year for all of us, but we can’t wait for children and adults alike to join us on this truly magical journey through the wardrobe next year.”

The tour schedule so far sees the show opening at Curve Leicester on 2 November 2021, before dates at Aylesbury, Southampton, Sunderland, Salford for Christmas, and then onto Cardiff, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Canterbury, Plymouth, Glasgow, Birmingham, Dublin, Woking and Norwich. Tickets will be on sale soon.

The production will be directed by Michael Fentiman (Amelie), based on Sally Cookson’s original production. The rest of the creative team is made up of designer Tom Paris, basing his work on Rae Smith’s original designs, alongside composer Benji Bower, music supervisor/ composer Barnaby Race and choreographer Shelly Maxwell. Lighting design will be created by Bruno Poet, with Ian Dickson and Garath Tucker (Autograph) as sound design. Puppetry direction and design will be created by Toby Olie and Max Humphries, respectively. Aerial director Gwen Hales, illusionist Chris Fisher, dramaturg Adam Peck and movement consultant Dan Canham round out the current creative team, with casting direction still to be announced.