Review of Alice in Wonderland - Northern Stage
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| Alice in Wonderland at Northern Stage - credit Pamela Raith Photography |
Alice in Wonderland is one of those stories where we all know
bits of either Alice in Wonderland or Alice through the Looking Glass it’s completely
bizarre and is perfect for the stage. In this version written by Theresa
Heskins we see Alice aged exactly 11 and a half living with her family on a
boat. When they run out of food they send Alice off to do card tricks for money,
where she meets the Great Blanco, who steals her cards. Alice chases him to a
theatre and falls down a trap door discovering the crazy psychedelic world of
wonderland.
The transformation of
the theatre for this production is amazing. Creating a space to play in the
round by taking the back wall out of Stage 1 and opening up into Stage 2. The
central stage, surrounded by cabaret seating, has numerous trap doors, with
ramps leading down into the auditorium, bringing the action right into the
audience.
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| Laura Riseborough as the Red Queen - credit Pamela Raith Photography |
Alex Tahnee who plays Alice is full on energy and an absolute
delight to watch, she captures the innocence of a child on an adventure
perfectly and has the audience entranced. Laura Riseborough is perfectly wicked
as the Red Queen and Clara Darcy’s Cheshire Cat is marvellously created. As
well singing and dancing the cast also make up the musicians under the expert
direction of Jeremy Bradfield who also plays the Dormouse. The cast is well
supported by the ensemble made up of students from Newcastle College.
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| Clara Darcy as the Cheshire Cat - credit Pamela Raith Photography |
This is a fast-paced show which is as much for the adults as
for the children. If you don’t have children to take with you but want to
relive the magic of childhood, then this is the Christmas show for you.
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