A Side of C.S. Lewis You’ve Never Seen Before
(4 out of 5 Shields)
The most impactful event in C.S. Lewis’s life was not an easy journey and without this pivotal decision he might never have written The Chronicles of Narnia. If you live nearby one of the cities where C.S. Lewis On Stage: The Most Reluctant Convert is performing, take a thought provoking journey with Lewis into his long struggle with Christianity. Most people are familiar with C.S. Lewis as a Christian apologist, but did you realize that before this he was a man adamant against belief in God? This play brought to life a side of C.S. Lewis’s life that I had never seen before and showed the inner conflict of a skeptic coming to terms with the grace of God.
The show is presented in 80 minutes as a one person play, but don’t think that this is just a long lecture. The show is produced with a high quality of professional theatre that creatively uses lighting, music, and imagery to tell a story and enhance the immersiveness of the work. The detailed set takes us into C.S. Lewis’s home study where the actor will pour a drink or stop to talk about a portrait of an influential person. Although there is only one performer there are many characters referenced because of the many people in his life. I was pleased to see a depiction of C.S. Lewis’s relationship with Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkein. Tolkein expressed a theme throughout the play that was the role myth and fantasy played in C.S. Lewis’s journey towards faith. This topic will be of interest to Narnia Fans and should enhance their appreciation of The Chronicles of Narnia.
Fellowship for Performing Arts has also produced several other stage adaptations of C.S. Lewis books including The Screwtape Letters, The Great Divorce, and Shadowlands. Some of these shows were more engaging and memorable than The Most Reluctant Convert. This production has solid play writing that is thoroughly researched and strings together connections with key people and events that influenced Lewis’s life. The story dramatically captures experiences of his life up to conversion, but is not a complete biography. If you have never read a C.S. Lewis biography this is a great introduction to the author’s life, but even if you are a Narniaexpert you will still discover something new from the show.
The USA tour dates are listed below, but if you are not able to see the show in person a DVD of the production is now available for purchase online.
Trailer:
Most Reluctant Convert Trailer (2-2018) from Fellowship for Performing Arts on Vimeo.
