Full disclosure: my mother’s family had a wonderful old copy of Alice in Wonderland with the original John Tenniel illustrations. I found it so terrifying that it threw me into hysterics every time I looked at it.

Honestly, I’ve never really thought of it as a book for young children. It’s far too clever and has no plot to speak of, just a series of incidents. That apart though, there’s plenty of opportunity for dressing up in outrageous costumes and lovely singing, and the Dukes’ company exploit that to the full.

The book’s episodic nature makes it perfect for a Williamson Park show, which involves the audience promenading from one part of the wood to another while the actors and crew dash madly ahead to set up the next scene. But after lots of experience of these shows, and they are always good fun (except when it rains), I think what motivates the audience to go from one clearing to the next is the desire to know what happens next, which is a problem if there is no plot. Writer Andrew Pollard has sort of solved the problem by creating a narrative in which the Jabberwock, he of claws that catch and jaws that bite, captures one of Alice’s friends, and she is searching for him. It works, mostly, and the Jabberwock itself is a magnificent creation.

Pollard also writes pantomime and is a notable Dame, and quite a lot of that comes through in some appalling puns, and an ugly sisters kitchen scene that almost becomes a slosh event – one of those where everyone gets covered in muck. Once we are out of the framing narrative and into Alice, it’s all very 1968. Lewis Carroll anticipated the acid scene by a century. But in his day lots of middle and upper class women were stoned on laudanum a lot of the time, even Queen Victoria.

Composer and MD Stephen Markwick, who is almost old enough to remember 1968, provides a great score, a homage to the late 60s, which will drive those of you who were there wild with irritation trying to place where you heard bits of the tunes before. His songs get huge applause. And a word to the sound balancer – good job!

The actors are great. Eve Pereira as Alice delivers an innocent determination perfect for the part. Helen Longworth, a veteran of Williamson Park shows, gives a Queen of Hearts who almost brings back the terror of Tenniel. Katie Ball is a tiny bundle of energy and delight who is a pleasure to watch, and Ross Telfer’s Dormouse is to die for – his rock rendering of Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat brings the house down. Meanwhile, Kira Hayes is a very cuddlable Hare, if you could catch her, and Emma Nixon does a fine job in the thankless role of White Rabbit, leading us all literally up the garden path.

On the first night there were some crowd control issues, but I’m sure these will be sorted quickly. We need clear instructions as to when the interval is and where to sit at the croquet lawn so that we can also see the Jabberwock entrance. Otherwise, everyone loved it. Take a picnic, chairs and cagoules, and get there early as the first scene is quite a long way into the park.

By Chris Wallis, Theatre Editor

Images by Gabi Dawkins

 

 

 

Alice in Wonderland is at Williamson Park, Lancaster until August 25, 2024. For more information, click here.