The Magician’s Nephew
“This is … a very important story”, wrote C.S. Lewis, “because it shows how all the comings and goings between our world and the land of Narnia first began”. Digory and Polly are tricked by their Uncle Andrew into magically entering another reality, and they encounter Jadis, the White Witch. Following them back, she creates havoc in London, before the children, three grown-ups and a horse are accidentally drawn out of our world and find themselves witnesses to something extraordinary happening.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Almost 900 years after Aslan created the land, the banished White Witch returns to Narnia and establishes her evil rule. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy arrive through the wardrobe to find a land of Endless Winter. They meet up with talking creatures who have remained faithful followers of Aslan and, apart from Edmund, journey to join up with Aslan to battle against the Witch and her army. As a result of Edmund’s treachery, however, nothing less than the death of Aslan is required to set things aright.
The Horse and His Boy
14 years into the children’s reign of Narnia, in the far-off land of Calormen, a boy named Shasta lives with an old fisherman whom he believes to be his father. Meeting up with an aristocratic horse, Bree, and then a high-spirited girl, Aravis, and her horse Hwin, the four set out on a perilous journey. On their way, they have to pass through a dangerous city, desert and mountains, periodically encountering a strange presence along the way, helping to ultimately protect Narnia from attack by its enemies.
Prince Caspian
Some 1600 years later, Miraz, the brother of Caspian IX, usurps the throne, suppresses all knowledge of Aslan and Narnia’s history, and forces the faithful remnant in the land into hiding. The original four children are drawn back into Narnia and find the land in ruins. Meanwhile, through some humble Narnians, Prince Caspian, the rightful heir to the throne, discovers the true story of its beginnings and resolves to regain the kingdom. As he and the children are brought together by Aslan, they begin the fight to liberate the land.
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Three years into Caspian’s reign, the boy king decides to search for the seven lost lords who were sent to explore the Eastern Seas but never returned. Lucy, Edmund and their cousin Eustace are magically pulled on to the Dawn Treader, a Narnian ship, with Caspian and Reepicheep on board. As they travel to each of the islands, they are confronted by a series of tests and, in the process, they grow in their understanding of themselves, their character and the way Aslan is involved in their lives.
The Silver Chair
50 years pass before Eustace and school friend Jill are carried away into Narnia. They are commissioned by Aslan to find Prince Rilian, son of the ageing King Caspian, who has been spirited away by a deadly serpent who turns out to be the Green Queen. Aslan gives them four signs which, if followed, will help them in their quest. On the way, they are joined by a doleful companion, Puddleglum, and after many terrifying and life-threatening encounters, finally discover and free the Prince from the evil clutches of Green Queen.
The Last Battle
Two centuries later, a rebellion begins against Tirian, the last king of Narnia. All but one of the children, Susan, are drawn into fight against first Shift the Ape, who partly succeeds in passing off his dupe Puzzle the Donkey as Aslan, and then against the warrior Rishda Tarkaan and his forces. Everything builds to a gigantic climax in which Aslan brings the very land of Narnia to an end and opens a door into his own country for those who are truly faithful to him: “Now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read; which goes on forever; in which every chapter is better than the one before”.
nummynims
Six monologues about the stresses of modern female life: Meryl Davenport – A mother who delivers her non-stop day in a rapid-fire internal monologue; Tiggy Entwhistle – A cactus lover bravely attempting to rise above her relationship crisis; Mary O’Donnell – A feisty teenage schoolgirl competing in a talent quest; Theresa McTerry – An increasingly disillusioned bride on her wedding day; Winsome Webster – A widow with an appetite for the unexpected Zoe Struthers – An American cabaret singer who’s had her fair share of personal problems.
The smartly painted exterior of the City Community Faith School hides a disturbing secret. Behind its walls, one thousand girls are forced to labour in the city’s laundry, separated from their families and deprived of their freedom. One of these girls is Little Fearless, a courageous spirit who never gives up hope that one day they will be rescued. Unafraid of the punishment she will face, Little Fearless escapes the institute to tell her story to the world. But why does nobody believe she’s telling the truth?
