THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE

THE characters and narrative are part of our childhood's memory. We listened to it as a bedtime story or read it to our children. We've probably seen the film.

Four sibling evacuees are playing hide and seek in the mansion where they have been billeted, away from the London air raids.

In Mark Powell's imaginative production of Adrian Mitchell's stage adaptation of C S Lewis' allegory, much emphasis is given to its wartime context. Before the play opens we hear the evocative singing of The Siegfried Line and Neville Chamberlain's chilling declaration that Britain is now at war with Germany'.

Aslan, to whom the children look for rescue, played with impressive authority by Joe Rose, is a British fighter pilot with flying helmet and goggles; only a short cape of orange fur suggesting his real lion character. His followers wear the uniforms of British Tommies, while the image of the White Witch's (Amy Job) chief henchman, chills the blood. We follow the adventures of Susan (Emily Butler), Peter (Seb Twining), Edmund (Aidan Chitty) and, particularly, Lucy (Emily Arnold) with trepidation.

And we remember the details which make this production such a delight: Mumsy Mrs Beaver (Rebecca Campbell-Jones) checking that everyone has a clean handkerchief before they set out on their rescue mission; the fawn's (Duncan Hallis) snow-covered umbrella and the symbolic disintegration of the White Witch's costume.

It is touches like these that make Stage 65 performances so professional.

- Anne Hill