Meet The North East Puppeteer Playing Aslan in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
Celebrating the 75th anniversary of C.S. Lewis's classic novel The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the West End smash-hit production is touring the UK
‘It means the world that I get to come back home with work, to an area that holds a lot of nostalgia for me,’ says Andrew. ‘I always love coming back to the North East but this time will be extra special as we get to bring this show to such a beautiful theatre.’ He last performed at Sunderland Empire aged 17, and says returning a whole decade later feels a bit surreal. ‘To be honest I actually don’t know where the time has gone,’ he adds. ‘It really feels like a full circle moment and knowing I’ve got friends and family in the audience is an amazing feeling.'
Growing up in Seahouses and training in Byker, the North East played a key role in Andrew’s journey to performing. ‘The first time I got a taste for being on stage was performing in my school pantomime at Seahouses Middle School,’ he says. ‘From there I started going to dance classes and went to drama clubs on weekends… I just loved it all! It wasn’t until I came across SA Performing Arts Centre in Byker that I started considering this as a potential career. I also feel very lucky to have such supportive parents that encouraged me to follow my passion and have supported me through all the highs and lows that come with this line of work. It’s a privilege to be able to say you love what you do for a living and for that I am very grateful.’
Playing multiple roles in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe means Andrew has to prepare for a varied performance, but he’s treated this process like he normally would and tried to give each role the same amount of attention. ‘The variation keeps things exciting,’ he admits. ‘It’s such an intricate production and every single company member works so hard to serve the story. The preparation comes from lots of hours of rehearsals and an incredible creative team guiding and supporting us through the process.’
Unsurprisingly Andrew says one of his favourite parts of creating this show has been working with the mighty Aslan. ‘It’s been unlike anything I’ve experienced in my career,’ he adds. ‘Learning the physicality of the puppet and how that translates into storytelling on stage, discovering the challenges that come with that, and working through them have all been such a wonderful part of the process. I’ve loved it!’
Andrew recalls watching the film as a child and being terrified of The White Witch. ‘For me The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe serves as an example of how important it is for us to lead with love, be courageous and, as Professor Kirke says to the Pevensies, “the mind is like a parachute; it only works when open”.’
Everyone's journey into this industry is so different and there's no right or wrong avenue to go down, but Andrew does have some great advice for aspiring actors from the North East. ‘The most important thing I’d say is to develop resilience, follow your gut, and have the drive to continue working hard regardless of the knock-backs,’ he says. ‘Overnight success is always 10 years in the making! In the North East there's such a great network of creatives and I think a great place to start would be SA Performing Arts Centre. Finding a good place to train and hone your craft is essential. Whether that’s attending workshops, masterclasses or full-time training… those are the environments you need to be putting yourself into.’
