The Narnia Experience White Witch Sisterhood

Anne Akers talks about her involvement with The Narnia Experience White Witch Sisterhood …

The dozen or so White Witches appearing in The Narnia Experience may all be of different shapes, sizes, ages and experiences, but they are of one mind, that they are having a fantastic time working on the production.

There’s a few experienced actresses in the sisterhood, along with a couple of teachers, voluntary workers, communications managers and a management consultant. Each has a different take on the part they play, but all are enjoying the challenge of being in this different type of production. Take Lisa Cutcliffe, her daytime job is as a digital communications manager working for a government department. She did a bit of acting at school, though nothing since then. When she volunteered to be part of the Narnia Experience, it was to support the backstage work, which includes making the costumes. Then when there was the opportunity to take on the part of the witch, she jumped at it.

“I’m loving doing the costumes and the acting, I’m learning loads and I can’t wait to see it all complete, it’ll be a real sense of achievement! And I hope all who come will love it,” she said.

“I’m blown away. It’s been brilliant and there’s more awesomeness to come!”

Drama graduate Jenny Owen says she’s loving playing such an iconic character:

“It’s such a great opportunity to work with and learn from many different people. Everyone has something unique and brilliant to bring to the Experience. We all seek to develop and support the development of others, so that we can, collectively, make this a fantastic shared Narnia Experience for cast, crew and audience,” she said.

Anne Carter, a Children and Young People’s Development Officer has taught drama to children and have taken part in amateur productions for many years, including as an extra on Emmerdale. She’s taken on the part because she wants a challenge!

Speaking of challenges, as a community production, costs have to kept to a minimum, which mean the witches have to share just two costumes between them, that’s quite a few nips and tucks to cater for the shortest, a modest 5ft 0in in her stocking feet to the tallest at 6ft 1in. Fortunately the crown is one size, which fits all.

Anne Akers is also one of the White Witch Collective. She blogs at stripeyanne.wordpress.com/

The Narnia Experience runs from 25th November to 8th December. This walk through interactive theatre production based on C.S.Lewis’s The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe, entirely staffed by volunteers, is aimed at children age 7-10 but is also suitable for older children and adults (and younger children who don’t scare easily).

Tickets are available NOW from thenarniaexperience.com You can also support the Narnia Dream with a donation here mydonate.bt.com/events/thenarniaexperience or by sponsoring a Narnian tree and taking it home for Christmas here mydonate.bt.com/events/sponsoranarniantree/