Burrow through to the dark recesses at the back of the wardrobe and you could find yourself in a snow-covered realm inhabited by a wicked queen, ugly henchmen, fauns, and moving trees.
At that point, any resemblance to CS Lewis’s Narnia books begins to crumble as the cast of the cornerhouse, in Tolworth, reinvent a classic tale for their annual panto, Noneya Messing About.
The show, which runs from January 28 to 31, tells the story of four overgrown children who encounter talking beavers, a laidback hippy lion called Asbeen, and a motley crew of other characters in the land of Noneya.
A terrifyingly overweight ice queen called Largish is on the throne in the hilltop city of Cor Pairovem but a combination of reckless bravery, surreal goings-on, and global warming have a profound effect.
Written by Les Hutchinson and directed by Jon Constant, with original music by Tom Wateracre, the show is the 20th panto by the Centre Stage company and, since the late 1980s, more than £35,000 has been raised for charity.
This year’s beneficiaries are the Landirani Trust, Kingston Riding for the Disabled, and the cornerhouse arts centre.
Constant says: “It is remarkable that everything has come together so well – or indeed at all.
“Creating Noneya has been a glorious challenge, accomplished due to the hard work of Tim Cannings and, Emily Newton.”
Noneya Messing About, the Cornerhouse, 116 Douglas Road, Tolworth, January 28 to 31 (Saturday matinée at 4pm), 7.30pm, £7/£5, call 020 8296 9012 or visit thecornerhouse.org.
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