The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Focus on the Family Radio Theatre)

"Could you believe me if I said I'd been right out of the world — outside this world — last summer?" — Eustace, to Jill Pole This article covers a subject that does not exist in the Chronicles.

Cover of the CD release

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was produced in 1998 as a Radio Theatre production by Focus on the Family, The C. S. Lewis Company Ltd. and Tyndale Entertainment. It featured a full cast, orchestral music, and an introduction by Douglas Gresham. It was dramatised and directed by Paul McCusker.

Broadcast History

On December 26th 2005, in Britain, BBC Radio broadcast the first four of the 'Chronicles' recordings back to back as complete, continuous performances. They were: The Magician's Nephew; The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe; The Horse and His Boy; and Prince Caspian. The remaining three Chronicles (The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, and The Last Battle) were aired on BBC Radio in fifteen 50 minute episodes on consecutive weekdays from 22nd December 2006 to 10th January 2007.

Differences from the Book

Elephants were among the ones Aslan freed from stone when he went to the Witch's castle, as suggested by the trumpeting.

Cast

• Paul Scofield - Narrator
• David Suchet - Aslan
• Elizabeth Counsell - White Witch
• Freddie Findlay - Peter
• Katherine Suchet - Susan
• Matthew White - Edmund
• Elizabeth Eaton - Lucy
• Douglas Gresham - Host
• Timothy Bateson - Mr. Beaver
• Robert Benfield - adult Edmund, Maugrim, Squirrel
• Sally Ann Burnett - adult Susan
• Katy Glassborow - adult Lucy, fourth hag
• Peter Goodwright - Fox, Giant
• Dilys Hamlett - Mrs. Macready, first hag
• Polly March - Mrs. Beaver, third hag
• Peter Moreton - adult Peter, Wolf
• Audrey Palmer - second hag
• Philip Sherlock - Mr. Tumnus
• David Simeon - Father Christmas
• Frank Topping - Dwarf
• John Woodnut - The Professor

Producers

• Dave Arnold - Producer
• Charlie Jarvis - Executive Producer
• Kurt Bruner - Executive Producer
• Al Janssen - Executive Producer

Sound

• Mark Drury - Sound Design
• John Campbell - Music Composer
• Jim Scheffler - Orchestra Recording and Mixing at Martin Sound, Alhambra, California

Voice Recording

• Mark Drury - Voice Recording Engineer
• Dave Arnold - Voice Recording Engineer
• Voice Tracks recorded at The Soundhouse, Ltd., London

CD Release

Tyndale Entertainment released a two disc recording of the radio play in 1998.

Track Listing

Disc 1

1. Prologue
2. Into the Wardrobe
3. Lucy and Mr. Tumnus
4. "But it Wasn't a Joke!"
5. The Queen of Narnia
6. Lucy Betrayed
7. Sons & Daughters of Adam and Eve
8. Help From the Beavers
9. Edmund Goes to the Witch

Disc 2

1. It's Father Christmas!
2. The Spell Is Breaking
3. Meeting Aslan
4. Rescue... at a Price
5. The Witch's Triumph
6. A Deeper Magic
7. Narnia Restored
8. Kings and Queens in Narnia
9. The Wardobe Door/Epilogue

External Links

YouTube recording Part 1 of the radio production. Accessed 24 February 2010