The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Review
Blackmore Players used National Lottery grant money for a series of technical workshops. This production of CS Lewis's famous Narnia fable showed what a good investment it was.
Although still limited on the technical side by physical resources, lighting was used in a magical way by Alan Haward and director Rachel Young to create an impressively cold looking, frozen waste. Ultra-violet can be a cliche, but they used it thoughtfully, adding to the plot.
Much time was spent on the well painted set designed by Mike Juniper and delightful costumes designed by Rosemarie Nelson. Icicles hung from frozen trees and distant perspective took the eye right to the set. Toadstools, flowers and animals, all had a charm of their own.
Leo McGiff's make-up gave Glenys Young's truly evil White Witch sparkling eyes gleaming with malice. Barry Young's dignified Aslan the Lion had an impressively bearded and shaded face.
Peter Julian's face became that of Wolf Maugrim while Linda Cearns and Sandra Trott's Leopards had spots in all the right places. Myles Bartolli's Dwarf not only acted with conviction but looked right with his green-based make-up.
Tom Fraine, Chris Mack, Carly Norris and Briony Tory were the children transported to Narnia, where they met Martin Herford and Barbara Harrold's delightful Mr and Mrs Beaver.
Blackmore certainly deserve a ten for special effects, now they hust need to work on the acting side's pace and attack to bring it up to the same high standard.
Mary Redman - Brentwood Gazette