Narnia is one of those places that never seems to change. It is years since Aslan put an end to the White Witch's reign of terror, yet as far as I am aware the place has never been commercially exploited or opened to western tourism.
Getting a visa is virtually impossible, while entry remains limited to certain closets. And while it is clearly a good thing for these places to remain relatively unspoiled, Ian Brown's production reveals Narnia to be essentially where it has always been - stuck in the 1950s.
There's nothing wrong with a spot of nostalgia, especially at Christmas. Yet there's a Cold War chill whistling through C S Lewis's imagination that never quite disturbs this picturesque snow-globe of a production. Though the furry mythical folk are fun, there is no sense that they are living in a police state - the ransacking of Mr Tumnus's house is reported rather than shown, nor do you feel that the Beaver family are scurrying for their lives. And Michael Skyers's Aslan is unfortunately just a tad too cuddly. Skyers himself has a splendidly regal bearing, but no one is going to be cowed by the sight of a man in a woolly rug and Tina Turner wig.
I am not advocating frightening the children - but kids impressed by the frisson of the Harry Potter films may find this all just a little bit tame, though they'll undoubtedly thrill to the multimedia elements engineered by Mic Pool, which features some startling video imagery projected onto a mysterious flying saucer.
As the one truly unsettling aspect of the production, you may find your gaze directed for long periods way over the actors' heads at this compelling electronic picture show in the sky.
· Until February 5. Box office: 0113-213 7700.
