REVIEW: ALICE IN WONDERLAND, MARYLEBONE THEATRE

JS
Jul 21
2 min read

A Fantastical Triumph - You Don’t Want to be Late for this Very Important Date

Expectations are as high as a hookah-puffing caterpillar, as we arrive at the UK premiere of Alice in Wonderland, which has been wowing audiences around the world with its fantastical retelling of Lewis Carroll's classic.

The new Marylebone Theatre production exceeds these expectations in a kaleidoscopic whirlwind of enchanting puppets, magical lighting, wonderfully detailed sets and costumes, original score and larger than life characters.

The adaptor, Penny Farrow masterfully condenses the classic into a 60-minute spectacle of the best-loved moments, with Dodo, Dormouse and Cheshire Cat puppets which (in the spirit of Wonderland) manage to be both deliciously impossible and absolutely real.

There is hypnotising stage magic, showing Alice shrinking and growing; and the beautiful ensemble choreography of her tumbling down the rabbit hole, or showing her tears dancing across her face and stage to form a giant pool.

The set is a riot of colour, bursting with giant mushrooms, stop watches, biscuits, books, keyholes and enormous playing cards. And Wonderland is brought to life with the vibrant and otherworldly lighting.

Alice (Charlotte Bradley) is perfectly cast as the curious and bold rabbit-botherer, with excellent physicality, effortlessly leaping from slapstick to graceful choreography on her breathless adventure.

There are stand-out performances from the Queen of Hearts (Daniel Page), and Tweedle Dee and Dum (Skye Hallam and Katriona Brown).

Page plays the formidable royal as an imposing Kim Woodburn panto dame, with barrels of charismatic, camp humour, wielding her flamingo mallet to launch hedgehogs through the air; and furiously charging across the stage in her throne (with Slay Queen glowing in neon behind her) as she dishes out beheadings.

Tweedle Dee and Dum are fizzing with chemistry in their comedy double act and are firm favourites of the children, waddling onto the stage for nose-picking, nonsensical clowning and rhyme.

The steampunk caterpillar reclines on a giant mushroom, filling the stage with sass and smoke. And his transformation into a beautiful, illuminated butterfly is pure magic.

The adorable Sleepy Dormouse steals the show in the iconic tea party scene.

Although our favourite puppet is the giant, orange and blue Cheshire Cat, with a glowing grin, who gracefully prowls, stalks, and pounces across the stage so convincingly, the puppeteers around him disappear.

A highlight is the scene in which he detaches his head from his body for it to float around the tyrannical queen.

Clare Brice injects the fawning and anxious White Rabbit with more charm and humour than the Disney character, and seems to defy gravity with her cartoonish leaping around Wonderland.

Our children don’t want it to end. It’s clear that the creatives behind the production had almost as much fun making it, as we did watching it.

The play is a perfectly chaotic triumph and is only on until 31 August - trust us, you don’t want to be late for this very important date.

Alice in Wonderland. Marylebone Theatre, 35 Park Rd, London NW1 6XT. For ages 5+. Until 31 August