THIS is a monumental challenge. Not only is the original C S Lewis story, the first in the Narnia cycle of seven, crammed with Christian and moral allegory, making parts of it difficult to swallow, but this adaptation by Glyn Robins, dating from 1984, is beginning to show its age.

Fantasy is always extremely tricky to get away with on stage. Also, to compound his difficulties, director Gareth Roberts has opted to present the adventure in the round, with minimal visual contributions from spectacular scenery or technical gimmickry, though some of the masks and facial make-up is impressive.

Main contributors to the success of this production are the large cast. Most of them, even players in the most minor roles, have fantastical characters to hide behind, which by and large they portray with just the right amount of whimsy.

In contrast, the four children inject greater verisimilitude, projecting the posh air of precocious youngsters in war-time evacuated England, though maybe they could be a bit more priggish. Renee Phippen gives a stellar performance as the dreamer Lucy, predisposed to accept the magic of Narnia. Kathryn Anderson is Susan, Keiran Wellington is older brother Peter, and Nick Anderson is sulky kid brother Edmund, the turncoat, who betrays his siblings to the White Witch.

Towering over all is Katie Rowley as the evil White Witch who holds Narnia in the thrall of winter, injecting a thread of volatile petulance into her sinister cunning. She is opposed by Andy Barton as the Christ-like lion Aslan who sacrifices his life to save Edmund.

Other notable performances include Robert Chapman as the timid, guilt-ridden Mr Tumnus, Claire Anderson as short tempered housekeeper Mrs Macready, and Bobby Whichello and Gareth Roberts as Mr and Mrs Beaver.

But so many individuals support selflessly in the ensemble. Maybe they haven't quite extracted the last frisson of excitement from the story, (I don't see how any staging ever could) but they have excelled in capturing so much of its charm and magic.