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The cast of The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe at the renovated St Stephen’s Church |
Narnia tribute to writer, Adrian
Performance to be dedicated to memory of man who campaigned for church
A STALWART campaigner for the restoration of St Stephen’s Church in Haverstock Hill over the years, the celebrated Hampstead poet and playwright Adrian Mitchell did not live to see the dream realised.
His efforts, however, have not been forgotten.
Mr Mitchell, a pacifist and champion of the Left who died in December last year, is to be remembered in a one-off tribute performance of his adaptation of CS Lewis’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe at the church tomorrow (Friday).
His widow, Celia, who will read one of her late husband’s poems at the event, said: “Adrian was born and lived in north London most of his adult life. As such, the restoration of St Stephen’s as a theatre was very exciting to him and if he had seen this fine and imaginative production, I know he would have been the first to commend what has been achieved.
“Adrian believed passionately that we are capable of changing things if we work hard enough for the cause and this is a great example of that.”
The Antic Disposition theatre company’s production of the classic children’s tale is the first large-scale public show at the newly refurbished Victorian church. It opened three weeks ago and closes this Sunday.
Best known for his forthright poems and public speaking on war, racism and nuclear arms, Mr Mitchell was a regular presence at many protests and marches. But he was also well known for his imaginative children’s stories and
biting satires.
The children’s laureate Michael Rosen described him as “a socialist and a pacifist who believed, like William Blake, that everything human was ‘holy’... he celebrated a love of life with the same fervour that he attacked those who crushed life”. |
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