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An intriguing selection of delicious morsels, but ultimately this Carroll-inspired tea party left me lost and wondering. Summary
Rating
Ok
The aesthetic of the venue is perfect for Alice at the Asylum from Theatre Lab, with a white cloth draped on a long table suggesting a Gothic Last Supper. The performance space is laid out in a traverse staging, so the looks of anticipation in the audience members opposite are clear as they face you. An air of expectation grows as 1920s jazz music fills the Victorian Asylum Chapel, which is beautifully lit by Yiannis Katsaris.
Enter Mr Rose, played by Manolis Emmanouel. Rose is a property developer, thrilled with his new acquisition until suddenly Alice (Lydia Vie) emerges from under the table. What follows is 70 minutes of the bizarre and the surreal; a spectacle of delights. Rose encounters Alice, but the audience gets to meet all the characters she carries with her; a Wonderland of inmates in her head. Ultimately, all is not as it appears; but the twisted ending left me unsatisfied.
There are so many great moments in this production. The live music, provided by Hades (composer/musician/performer) on electric guitar, is a perfect accompaniment to the action, adding to the contemporary setting. The vocals by the Wonderland cast are excellent too, offering beautiful harmonies and lyrical playfulness. The choreographed movements of the White Rabbit (Christina Maycea) and the Caterpillar (Rujenne Green) are creatively characterised and synchronised to perfection.
There are some interesting choices in the direction, use of set and the costumes (designed by Lisa Lach-Nielsen). I especially enjoyed the transformation undergone by Sevi Filippidou. Before our eyes they morph from Cheshire Cat into the foreboding Red Queen, the costume being removed in pieces by Maycea, Green and David Furlong (Mad Hatter/March Hare).
Great quotes from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland are delivered in interesting, humorous, creative and macabre ways. Alongside this are contemporary references to Rishi Sunak and to the death of Queen Elizabeth II. This latter reference involves Rose correcting Alice as she echoes the Wonderland characters’ declaration that “The Queen is coming”, and at first I found it genuinely funny, but this diminished with each repetition. I also found the use of expletives jarring and a little overused.
In many ways this production is a wonderful jigsaw puzzle, with really interesting pieces, but it was hard for this reviewer to get a clear understanding of the overall picture. The programme has notes from Director Anastasia Revi and Writer Lydia Vie which have grand intentions, but I struggled to see these realised. Vie does say that, “I hope this work presents the audience with questions. Some may not have answers…” Personally, I think that is achieved, but with some edits this could have been so much more.
Lewis Carroll is quoted in saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” Sadly for this production I don’t think it arrives at a destination, but there was much to enjoy on the journey.
Written by: Lydia Vie
Directed by: Anastasia Revi
Music Composed by: Hades
Costumes by: Lisa Lach-Nielsen
Production by: Martina Reynolds
This production has now completed its run. Find out more about Theatre Lab here.
