Having been fortunate enough to watch XXXMas Carol last year at the Wales Millennium Centre, before it was cut short by the dreaded ‘C” word we hate to use (COVID), I had a pretty good idea what to expect for this year’s offering in the Weston Studio.
THE LION, THE B!TCH AND THE WARDROBE is a fresh, flirty, raunchy, raucous take on the classic story and certainly one that would have the Anglican Theologian author Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis running into the wardrobe, never to be seen again.
Having said that, his stories are crammed with quotes which can easily be interpreted very differently in our modern world. For goodness sake, even his dog Jacksie could find a place in an new telling of his story. That really was the name of his dog – I kid you not!
In The Lion…… we step into another world filled with flirty fauns, wicked wolves, a couple of beavers and the baddest b!tch of them all – POLLY AMOROUS.
She’s been rummaging deep in her wardrobe to find some presents, and what has she pulled out? Dazzling drag, sensational circus, sickening songs, bewitching burlesque, and some tinsel handcuffs!
I’m sure you know the story plot by now, and what we get on stage is similar (ish). It’s always winter in Narnia, but that doesn’t mean it’s not going to get H.O.T. in the company of RAHIM EL HABACHI, ASHA JANE, FOO FOO LABELLE, ERIC MCGILL, BUNMI ODUMOSU and FELIX SÜRBE.
Like last year’s show, The Lion…. is a kind of anti-festive take on all things jolly and bright. Outrageous it most certainly is, but with some of the city’s most talented drag, burlesque and circus artists, performing in a cabaret club style transformed Weston Studio, this show will leave you feeling happy and jolly, but for very different reasons.
The venue itself is really special. We get to sit at tables around a centre stage, which means everyone has a perfect view of the show. Without wishing to be indiscreet at all, the view is occasionally very up close and personal. You will see bottoms, of that there is no doubt. For some members of the audience they get a really cheeky (sorry) experience.
We spoke to some of them to get their take on last nights production, we also caught up with Polly at the end of the show.
We had heard that here at South Wales Life, we’d helped Polly’s love life 12 months ago. When we reviewed last year’s show one audience member told us ‘it was the best £15 you’ll spend in Cardiff.‘ Polly watched our review and – well, take a look at our special feature below and you’ll get the full story.
The Lion, The B!tch and The Wardrobe has built on the success of XXXMas Carol and delivers a sharp, funny, incredibly immersive experience which is guaranteed to titillate, amuse, excite and perhaps even shock you, in the best possible way. The performers deliver a mix of circus and burlesque entertainment, which is made even more exciting in the close proximity we all have to the stage.
Elton John sings in his 1974 hit ‘I can b!tch, I can b!tch cause I’m better than you‘ which sums up Polly perfectly in the show, she is truly outstanding, as always. Add to that an incredible team of performers, musicians, crew and I have to say Wales Millennium Centre staff, who are very much a part of the whole experience, and I can assure you once again, this is still the best £15 you’ll spend this festive season.
THE LION, THE B!TCH AND THE WARDROBE is in the Weston Studio at the Wales Millennium Centre until Saturday 31st December. With the festive holidays there are less than a dozen shows left, and tickets are selling really fast. Performances are at 8:30pm each evening, with a 3:30pm show only on the 31st. For more details, and to get your tickets, go HERE.
