Stonyhurst College – Dancing to Narnia
28 Apr 2016
Stonyhurst’s dancers performed an enchanting adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic, The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe on Saturday March 12th and Sunday March 13th. The production involved a huge cast of dancers – from the prep school’s tiny ballerinas to sixth-form dancers. The four Pevensie children (Lucia Garcia, Harry Booth, Paloma Morgan and Paul Bell) captivated the audience from beginning to end, taking them on a journey through the London Blitz, the Professor’s country house and through the wardrobe to Narnia to meet a delightful Mr Tumnus (Dasha Kokolova). The White Witch, in contrast, was truly menacing, with Caitlin Rice-Jones’ icy stare and towering presence reducing the temperature in the Academy Room by several degrees! The cast was outstanding, not only for their solo and ensemble performances but for their superb acting and story-telling skill. There was plenty of variety throughout as Snowflakes, Turkish Delights, the Professor’s household and animal characters danced across the vast, snowy stage to music by Tchaikovsky, Bach, Wagner, Gregson-Williams (who composed music for the film) and even Kate Bush! It was devised, choreographed and directed by Stonyhurst’s dance teachers Anna Southward, Andrea Morrison and Laura Hopkinson.
Photo: The Pevensie children, played by Lucia, Paul, Melissa and Harry.