Shadowlands at the Aldwych Theatre  

Originally debuted in 1990 in New York, Shadowlands, by William Nicholson, has taken over the Aldwych Theatre in London. Based on the later years of Clive Staples Lewis (CS Lewis, the prolific 20^th-century author), the play is brought back to life for a 21^st-century audience by director Rachel Kavanaugh. It centres on an encounter with Joy Davidson, which leads to one of the greatest loves of the writer’s life. The show explores themes of grief, loss, love, illness and suffering, as well as the revolutionary beauty of pain. 

In a world of endless doomscrolling, CS Lewis’s writings have become more and more pertinent, and the play begins with a monologue taken from The Problem of Pain, asking the audience the question: “Isn’t God supposed to be good? Isn’t God supposed to love us?” in the face of tragedy. Hugh Bonneville, who plays Lewis, does an expert job of portraying the middle-aged scholar and his Christian faith. From the moment we set off on this journey, we are implored to consider the world in a different light, with hope. The constant questioning of his faith by other characters, such as the stern Christopher Riley (portrayed by Timothy Watson), lends to the work a well-balanced, thoughtful commentary on how religion, specifically Christianity, fits into the world today. 

Lewis once described his counterpart, Joy Davidman, as “a soul straight, bright and tempered like a sword”, and throughout the play, Maggie Siff goes above and beyond to illustrate this. In fact, much as in his real life, the pairing of Bonneville and Siff sheds light on the true beauty of Davidman, a beauty that pierces the soul in the two hours we spend experiencing Siff’s portrayal. The audience cannot help but love the ballsy American by the end, even if she is obstinate and headstrong (according to Lewis’s academic counterparts). ​ 

​​The staging is an extraordinary feat of marrying reality with fiction. At first, it displays a simple, though grand, bookcase in a study, but as the narrative progresses, the backdrop opens up to the most magical set that lends itself entirely to the plot. Indeed, the backdrop for the turning point in the story elevates the production to a new dimension, helping those watching to contemplate, for once, something other than their own existence. The only downfall of the revolving stage is that the focus sometimes shifts during some of the more pivotal moments, though it works quite well at evoking a dance between characters during scene changes. 

The purposeful silences between the heavier quotes from Lewis’s works, seamlessly woven into the script as part of the story, make this a rarity of a show that captivates its audience and enables them to absorb what has been said. In the culture of YouTube shorts and 15-second TikToks, there is often a rush to get to the next scene without much consideration for the one before. However, Shadowlands is a microcosm of how we might live our lives: with meaning and purpose, and consideration of the shadows. 

Natallia Pearmain 

Shadowlands is on at the Aldwych Theatre until 9^th May 2026. For further information or to book visit here.

Watch a trailer for the show here: