Alice in Wonderland, Jan 10, 2020 ****

CHILDREN’S THEATRE 

by Lewis Carroll, adapted by Glenn Elston

at Rippon Lea House & Garden, until Jan 26, 2020 

Reviewer: Kate Herbert 

Stars: ****

Darcy Dann &Ayesha Gibson_Alice in Wonderland

Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland is nifty nonsense and Glenn Elston’s theatre adaptation is a nutty, chaotic and nonsensical blend of rhymes, characters and songs for little kids and their parents.

Alice (Ayesha Gibson) goes on an adventure that is all terribly, terribly English as she encounters the White Rabbit (Darcy Dann) who is always late, visits the Mad Hatter’s (Dennis Manahan) Tea Party, meets the Duchess (Claire Nicholls), and plays Croquet with the oversized Queen of Hearts (Madeleine Somers).

Directed by Otis Elston, this playful, vividly colourful, outdoor (but under cover) performance provides participation at every opportunity, with the children singing along, shouting ‘He’s behind you!’ and calling out the time on the clock.

The wacky characters keep coming, and the children giggle and shout at Humpty Dumpty, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Caterpillar and the grinning Cheshire Cat.

Even the adults join in, dressing up as playing cards for the Queen’s Croquet match while the tiny tots crawl through their legs like croquet hoops.

As Alice, Gibson is suitably naïve, pert and clever in her blue and white frock, while Dann’s White Rabbit is a posh, smartly dressed bunny that snaffles picnic food while people are watching the croquet.

Manahan is delightful as the Mad Hatter, engaging the audience and leading songs, and his signature tune, I’m Mad!, is a highlight for young and old.

Nicholls has fun as the Duchess, revelling in her frightening song, ‘Speak roughly to your baby’, as she tosses her tiny baby doll in the air and feeds it pepper.

The eccentric costumes (Karla Erenbots) and cartoon-like set (Sarah Tulloch) are vibrant, candy-coloured and almost edible.

This vivacious, participatory performance is perfect for littlies and their parents who can enjoy the entertainment and the idyllic garden surroundings of Rippon Lea.

by Kate Herbert