This is the story of an adventure that happened in Narnia and Calormen and the lands in between, in the Golden Age, when Peter was High King in Narnia and his brother and his two sisters were King and Queens under him.
So begins "The Horse and His Boy," by C.S.Lewis. During the story a boy named Shasta discovers he is not the son of Arsheesh, the Calormene fisherman by whom he has been raised.
Deciding to run far away to the North, to Narnia, Shasta encounters one of the talking horses of Narnia. This story recounts the challenges and adventures of horse and boy as they discover their own identities.
In October, 2004, Saint Catherine's produced a dramatic rendition of "The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe" with a cast aged from 10 to 16, and a couple of adult parts. But how could anyone possibly stop with just one Narnia Chronicle?
There is a great deal of depth in all the books for dramatization - and so the team that produced "The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe" is already preparing for the next production.
"The Horse and His Boy" is set in the time when the two kings and two queens of Narnia ruled. This is when the four children first visit Narnia. And so that will be the next venture for Saint Catherine's band of players.
C.S. Lewis described the Narnia stories as "supposals," that explores the nature of our spiritual journey, and the way in which God may play a part in the journey that we do not always appreciate.
Each of us may find ourselves like the two disciples walking the road to Emmaus, not recognizing our companion along the way. This is one of the pivotal themes of "The Horse And His Boy."
The play will be performed at the Terry Fox Theatre, 1260 Riverwood Gate in Port Coquitlam. Performances are at 7:30 pm on March 30 and 31, and April 1 and 2. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, and are available from Saint Catherine's parish. Call 604.942.9812, or e-mail office@stcatherineschurch.ca.