A Sherman Cymru production

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe

Visual Story

This is a visual resource for children and adults with a learning disability,

Autism Spectrum Condition, Down’s syndrome or a sensory and

communication disorder. This resource is intended to help prepare

visitors for their visit to the Sherman and to help them become familiar

with their surroundings.

These notes are designed to help when preparing for a visit to see The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

We look forward to welcoming you to the theatre and hope you enjoy The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. If you have any comments or

feedback about this pack please do not hesitate to get in touch with us

by emailing:

creative.learning@shermancymru.co.uk

Coming to the theatre What to expect

The Sherman Theatre is on Senghennydd Road and this is what it looks like from

the outside:

You will go in through the front doors under the archway. Once inside you will be in

the foyer.

The foyer can get quite busy before the show as everyone waits to go into the main

auditorium (where the play is shown) so it will be quite full of people.

We have used purple lights to make it a bit more Christmassy but there will be lots

of light so you can see where you’re going. In the foyer there is the Ticketing desk

where you can get your tickets and a bar when you can buy drinks and sweets.

! When the show is about to start, a loud bell rings in the foyer. This is to let

everyone know they need to be inside the auditorium for the show to start.

Inside the auditorium

The auditorium is where the audience sits and watches the show. On your ticket it

will say your seat number. The seat numbers are on the inside of your chairs.

This is what the audience seating looks like. The audience (that’s you) sit on the

chairs facing the stage, and when the play starts the lights are turned down so you

can only see the stage. The actors perform on the stage.

The set What it looks like

The set has been designed with lots of special elements that help it change into

Narnia. The floor is painted to look like it is frozen.

There is a big screen at the back which has lights and images projected onto it, and

some of the pieces of the set drop in from above the stage.

This is all controlled carefully by the technical team back stage.

It also has a moving

stage called a revolve,

which helps the

characters move around

the stage quickly and

easily. The revolve is

made of two big circles

in the floor that can

move using a motor

which is underneath the

stage.

Images reproduced with

thanks © Nick Allsop

This is Gwawr

She plays Lucy, the youngest sister.

This is Joseph He plays Peter, the

older brother.

This is Elin She plays Susan, the

older sister.

This is Matthew He plays Edmund, the

youngest brother.

This is Kieron

He plays the Professor, a wolf & Father Christmas.

This is Pete He plays Mr Tumnus, who is half man, half

goat.

This is Matthew. He plays the part of

Aslan, the lion.

This is Anita She plays the White

Witch.

This is Kate

She plays Mrs Beaver and Mrs Macready.

This is Howard He plays Mr Beaver.

This is Gareth, the Musical Director You will see him on stage playing music.

Characters In Narnia, the children meet some magical creatures including a lion, a faun, two beavers and a wolf, as well as an evil witch. Some of the actors play more than one part. Here are the main characters you will see in the play:

French Horn Cornet Violin

Flute Euphonium

Other instruments

There are also some percussion instruments

(different types of drums) that are used to

make dramatic sound effects. These are at

the side of the stage which you can just

about see.

The drums shown here are a bass drum and

a tam-tam (a type of gong).

+ You can visit our YouTube page to find videos that contain some of the sounds in

the play. Just look for The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe:

www.youtube.com/ShermanCymru

Music

There are lots of songs in the play, and the actors all use a range of different instruments, which include:

The play lasts approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, including a 20 minute break (called an interval).

The first half lasts approximately 50 minutes. Then there is a 20 minute break (interval). The second half last approximately 35 minutes.

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is based on a book by C.S. Lewis, and it tells the story of four children called Lucy, Peter, Susan and Edmund, who are sent away from London during the war.

! Spoiler alert: The following play notes explain what happens in the play.

ACT ONE (the first half of the play) They go to stay with a Professor in his house in the countryside. There is a

housekeeper called Mrs Macready.

When they explore the house, Lucy discovers a magical wardrobe in the house that transports her to a far-away land called Narnia, where she first meets Mr Tumnus. He tells her about the evil White Witch who has cast a spell over Narnia to make it always winter.

When she returns from Narnia, her brothers and sister don’t believe her when she tells them about what’s inside the wardrobe.

Later the siblings play Hide and Seek. Edmund follows Lucy back into the wardrobe but instead of finding her, he finds himself in Narnia. He meets the White Witch, who gives him some enchanted Turkish Delight and convinces him to bring the rest of his siblings to her.

Peter and Susan eventually find out that Narnia is real. They all enter the wardrobe, and meet Mr and Mrs Beaver. Edmund disappears and they realise that he is on the White Witch’s side.

The Beavers tell the children about Aslan, a great and powerful lion who is the King of Narnia. They know that if they can find him, he will save Narnia from the White Witch. On their journey, they are met by Father Christmas who gives them some gifts and serves them some tea.

+ This is the end of Act One, and now there is a short break (interval) where you can get a drink and go to the toilet.

Play notes What happens in the play

ACT TWO (the second half of the play)

We return to see Edmund travelling with the White Witch. They discover that Father Christmas has been to Narnia and has given gifts to the creatures. The Witch is very unhappy. She realises that winter is coming to an end.

Up ahead is Lucy, Peter, Susan and the Beavers. They finally see Aslan, but are interrupted by a bad wolf called Maugrim. Peter has to fight Maugrim.

! Sensory alert – dramatic / violent scene Even though it looks very realistic, the fight is pretend. The actors have carefully planned and practiced so that it is safe and no one gets hurt.

We return to the scene in the woods, where the White Witch, her driver and Edmund are. The Witch realises that Edmund may lead Aslan back to her and decides it is time to kill him. Just in time, the children, the Beavers and Aslan find them.

The Witch tries to make a deal with Aslan, and she meets him at the Stone Table in the night.

! Sensory alert – dramatic / violent scene The White Witch kills Aslan. The children have followed him and see this, which upsets them a lot.

As the sun rises and they hear a great cracking noise, and it turns out that Aslan has come back to life! ! Sensory alert – dramatic / violent scene After Aslan comes back to life, he says he’s about to roar – this is a loud roar!

Aslan takes the children to the White Witch’s palace, where they bring the stone creatures back to life.

Then we see the battle scene, where Peter and Edmund have to fight against the White Witch and her army. After a short time, Aslan, Lucy and Susan arrive to help.

Edmund is hurt by the White Witch, but together they eventually defeat her and her army. Aslan crowns them all as Kings and Queens of Narnia, and then goes away. ! Sensory alert – Aslan kills the White Witch.

They rule Narnia for a long time, but eventually go back through the wardrobe and back into the Professor’s house. They realise they’ve been on a great adventure.