Review: The Liar, The Bitch and the Wardrobe - Norwich Playhouse (11.22.2025)

With humour as subtle as the surgically-enhanced Aslan's (or Arselan) rear end, The Liar, The Bitch, and the Wardrobe is a raucous, filthy, and gloriously queer take on the C.S Lewis children's classic.

Producer Paul Taylor-Mills also brought a production of Ghosted to the same venue last year, so I had a rough idea of what was in store, and the incredibly energetic and charismatic cast of four guiding us through this warped, distinctly adult panto version of the Narnia tale didn't disappoint.

Not quite wartime evacuees in this instance, being 18 years old (definitely, distinctly 18!), best 'friends' Pete and Eddie, played by Yannick Budd and Connor Headley respectively, escape the Blitz by being sent to McSweeney’s Home for Big Butch Boys.

When Pete goes into the closet while playing hide and seek (they're 18, honest), he meets Narnia's famous fawn, Mr Topless, and the smutty story really begins in earnest.

We're introduced to a whole host of characters, from the Tight Bitch Wicked Queen of Narnia (played with a delightful relish by Grant Cartwright) to her adorable but potty-mouthed sidekick, Labubu (Holly Ashman).

In the great panto tradition, along the way we are treated to bastardised versions of popular songs, such as Pink Pony Club and Puttin' on the Ritz (Blitz). Wicked's Defying Gravity provided one of the stand-out moments, not least of all for its inventive rhyming - "denying f*ggotry" and "expanding cavity" raised the biggest laughs.

The whole thing is fast-paced with the cast frequently swapping roles and costumes, very polished in terms of choreography and vocals, and also endearingly lo-tech - check out their fire and their puppetry. Most of all it is f*cking hilarious.

The sold out run of The Liar, The Bitch, and the Wardrobe continues at Norwich Theatre Playhouse until 20 Dec.