By Karyn Lee Greig.
Lewis Carroll, born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, was not only an English author and poet but also a mathematician, photographer and Anglican deacon. Carroll first told an outline of Alice in Wonderland to 10-year-old family friend, Alice Liddell, who then begged him to write it down. Eventually, in November 1864, Carroll gave her a handwritten, illustrated manuscript entitled Alice’s Adventures Under Ground. The successful 1866 published version became Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and has been in print ever since.
Congratulations to director Penny Farrow and designer Nate Bertone for this production. Farrow loves ‘a story that celebrates wild imagination and creativity through humour and beautiful, yet silly, language’. This is precisely what we get. This whimsical tale about a bored child, Alice, who follows a white rabbit down a hole to a world full of nonsensical characters, then wakes to find it all a dream, is a quality story precisely because of its whimsy, its use of language and the important lessons to be found in it. This production is an abridged 1-hour version of the story, ideal for children from 5 – 12 years. It helps for children to be familiar with the story beforehand.
This is not musical but a play with an outstanding score by the acclaimed composer, Evan Jolly. His music powerfully creates the mood for each scene. The set arrests the eye with its large mushrooms and giant lock and key. Alice’s shrinkage is cleverly achieved with the ‘Drink Me’ bottle increasing in size each time she takes a sip. Her flood of tears is created by the use of translucent fabric – not new, but highly effective.
The many animals in the story are beautiful, large puppets made by Chris Barlow and Deiter Barry, and skilfully handled and voiced by the actors themselves. The costumes created by Gayle MacGregor and Diana Eden are stunning.
The cast is equally strong: Eowyn Turner brings a quiet sincerity to the role of Alice – a lovely contrast to the characters around her. Lucy Fox (White Rabbit) is delightfully anxious and nutty. Justine Anderson (Tweedledum) and Matilda Simmons (Tweedledee) are a gorgeous bumbling team, aided by their coordinated movement and precision timing. Simon Burvell-Holmes (Cheshire Cat and the Queen of Hearts) commands the stage physically and vocally, while Anthony Craig (Caterpillar and Dormouse) demonstrates his acting range via his accents and comic sense. I haven’t forgotten his line for the adults, after the hookah-smoking Caterpillar morphs into the breathtaking butterfly, ‘I’ve never been so high!’
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is a highlight. Sharnema Nougar (Mad Hatter) is captivating and seems entirely at peace in her own mad world. Some very funny allusions to our modern culture are in this scene, such as Oliver Palamara (March Hare) displaying his considerable dancing chops to Dormouse’s vocal beatbox. After which they hilariously cry, fresh from America’s Got Talent, ‘It’s a yes from me!’
The production needs to indicate age suitability as it is not for very young children. There’s plenty there for adults but listen carefully as it moves quickly. The loud sounds backstage during one of the quietest moments in the show, where Alice talks about ‘home’, was distracting – but these are small points.
Judging by the enthusiasm of my 6- and 7-year-old charges, this show should not be missed. As well as the production values being of a high calibre, this show is good value for money. Movies are great, but quality live theatre like this offers something unique that all children should experience.
