To acknowledge my bias up front, I could rant on for thousands of words about the reasons I hate C.S. Lewis. I find his Christian apologias patronizing if not simpleminded. His children's books, about an allegorical wonderland called Narnia, are as inconsistent and illogical as the stories on which they're so obviously based. Let it also be acknowledged that the world disagrees with me; school librarians and the NEA still consider The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe one of the hundred best books ever written for kids.

That being said, I was looking forward to director Jon Tallman's version from Olympia Family Theater. He promised to weave pagan elements into the overtly Christian tapestry of Lewis's Narnia, a concept he repeats in his director's notes. Excellent! But I saw none of that in the finished product, nor did the script appear to want it. What I saw was a great deal of visual creativity, so much so that I wanted to ignore the fundamental problem with the show. The tactile costumes, designed by Sally Fitzgerald and Becky Scott, are outstanding. Bruce Haasl's set is attractive and flexible, though a bit sloppily constructed. I encourage the cast to take greater care in handling their props, as it's hard to believe in the reality of a sword when it bounces off the floor. A beautiful shield had all the heft of a paper plate.

The notes promise "raw emotion, high stakes, and spirituality." There's plenty of the latter, almost none of the first two. The cast tended to sleepwalk, meandering from castle to woods like weary tourists. The script emphasizes life-or-death emergencies, but few actors behaved as if they were under the gun. An army of centaurs could charge through most pauses. Urgency, urgency, urgency! That's the key element so many otherwise exceptional South Sound productions are lacking. It's not solely a matter of speed; it's about recognizing how every action matters.

There are exceptions. Morgan Picton is always a welcome presence, and his Fenris Ulf (Maugrim in most editions) benefits from Animal Fire Theatre techniques. Kate Ayers is delightful as Tumnus, even managing authentic isoka flute solos. Annie Jansen and Ted Ryle charm as the Beavers, and Rick Pearlstein adds Neanderthal savagery to a character rudely dubbed the Dwarf. I liked Keith Eisner's centaur, and enjoyed watching Lauren O'Neill amuse herself as Jadis, the White Witch. As for Aslan and the Pevensie children, I find their role in the story so illogical, especially in this production, I can't even comment on the acting. Lewis himself can't muster enough interest in his underage protagonists to include them in the title. In a world of demigods and magical beings, why are these kids the Chosen Ones?

C.S. Lewis. Boy, don't get me started.

THE LION, THE WICTH AND THE WARDROBE, 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 1 and 4:30 p.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. Sunday, Olympia Family Theater, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia, $10-$16, 360.753.8586