| Oxford
Theatre Guild, Old Fire Station Theatre Tuesday 7th –
Saturday 18th December
The play version of this classic Lewis Carroll story is full of seeming
contradictions. It's from the perspective of a young girl, but is probably most
fully appreciated by an adult. Logical conundrums are somehow emphasized and
resolved by poetry, song and dance. And everything that you took for granted, can't
be, in a way that both reaffirms and calls it all into question.
Before being sent to bed, we see young Alice in the dilettante world of adults that she
lives in. Everything is big, loud and strange, as it would be to a child. She
asks to play a game of chess, but is instead sent off to bed, and told by her governess
not to eat the sweets given to her by "Uncle Lewis." Before going, Uncle
Lewis describes how the pieces are set up on the board and says that, from the Queen's
perspective, it's like seeing into a "looking glass". Then Alice falls
asleep.
The logical chess-board background turns into ethereal trees, emphasized by dreamy
lighting and glow-in-the-dark reflections. And a band of absurd creatures and
chess-pieces appear and disappear rapidly on stage and lead Alice through a series of
adventures, impossibilities, and witty but confused word-play, as Alice (the pawn) makes
her way across the upside-down, inside-out chessboard land to become queened.
The mood of the play is set by the wistful, dreamy, wonder of Alice (Rachel
Johnson). Just as in dream, she hardly acts, but her emotions seem to rise and fall
with whatever approaches. She smiles enchantedly one minute and covers her face in
tears the next. The sheer wonder is played with a dreamy detachment, so she never
really holds onto any of her emotions-they let fall. Her easy manner is always
enchanting, but never as engaging as a character in real life.
Because of Alice's smallness, the play relies on big performances from the characters she
runs into. The Red Queen, White Knight and especially Humpty Dumpty deliver, giving
us nuanced mannerisms, full emotions and verbal play. Humpty Dumpty translates a
Jabberwocky poem literally for Alice, turning it into complete nonsense - showing how
poetic and non-logical our language is. Looking into the distance another time and
asked who she sees, Alice replies "nobody" and is complimented on her amazing
eye-sight to see Nobody from such a distance. Then a message-bearer says
"nobody is faster than I" and is responded to with "Nobody still hasn't
arrived yet from the distance and so Nobody must be slower than you." The
logician Carroll seemed to be asking with his cleverness: how can we use words like
"nobody" that are, strictly speaking, "nothing"?
Because language and ideas like this are tricky, but pass swiftly on a stage without time
to think about them, we can't savour them as fully as we would reading the book.
Some of the moments and characters that are undoubtedly enchanting in the book, can't
quite capture our attention for the length of time that some of them appear on stage,
despite many very energetic and inspired attempts by the actors, and a truly impressive
combination of visual stimuli. Still, although the experience isn't engaging all the
way through, it leaves you wanting to curl up in your bed afterwards and fall asleep
re-reading the old Carroll classic. And wonder, as Alice does at the end after she's
woken up, "Was the sleeping man in my dream, or was I in his?" Oliver
Morrison, Daily Information 8/12/04 |
Rehearsal Photos of Alice
|
Alison
Ireland BBC Oxford online saw the Oxford Theatre Guild's stage production of Lewis
Carroll's classic book. |
Oxford Theatre Guild, Oxford's
largest company of amateur players, made fair and humorous weather of the classic
children's fantasy story sequel, 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'.
Traditionally both the 'Alice' stories have presented difficulties for stage companies due
to their episodic and pun-heavy nature.
This adaptation however, invigorated Lewis Carroll's original work's wit, demonstrating
resoundingly that his hilarious wordplay stands the test of time. In a close adaptation
(with some elements of Alice in Wonderland such as the Caucus Race, inserted to facilitate
the boisterous entrance of characters at various points), the success arose from the
strong and energetic characterisation.
Although still slightly disjointed, the audience was deeply engaged in each of the tableau
and at no point lost or bored. Particularly brilliant was Alex Nicholls as the White
Knight: 'It's my own invention', while Juliet Humphrey made an excellent distracted White
Queen and Kevin Elliot brought to large life the pompous but kindly Humpty Dumpty
(incidentally Carroll was responsible for the portrayal of Humpty Dumpty as an egg - in
reality the nursery-rhyme was about a huge cannon of that name.)
The stage effects were simple, convincing and fairly smooth, and careful organisation
meant that the nine actors were able to portray a total of 47 characters, familiar faces
merging in and out of surreal, dreamlike sequences. With the stage on two levels, Alice
(Sarah Wilkinson) stood on the lower and appeared very little girl-like.
Although a little lifeless, her balletic training was evident in her excellent body
language and movement around the stage, and admittedly Alice herself is not the most
inspiring of characters.
Next year sees the fiftieth anniversary of the Guild and to celebrate they will be
doing 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' in Merton College gardens, their first ever production
in 1955. But don't wait till then - go and celebrate their 49th year by going to see
'Alice' now and have a good laugh. |
"Alice Through the Looking Glass"
by the Rev Charles Dodgson
Directed by Peter Mottley for O.T.G.
Playing at the Old Fire Station Theatre till Dec 18th 2004
Notwithstanding some fearsomely intimidating Directors notes, I kept an open mind on
this piece of whimsy, which was almost unknown to me (the whimsy that is - not the open
mind!). I'm glad I did. It was fun all the way with each cast member eagerly grasping
every opportunity to indulge in fantasy and take on characterizations way out of the
normal run of theatre.
Cleverly set and lit, this attractively costumed production will doubtless please
'Alice' aficionados. The tale being told calls for a young mind to fully appreciate the
'about face' logic employed by Dodgson in entertaining his young friend, the original
Alice. There's no doubting the intellectual power of the author or even the sophistication
of the subtext, but I doubt that such appeal will put too many bums on seats.
The cast of nine take on forty seven parts, a massive challenge, but they all turn in
good entertaining performances. Newcomer Olivia Darby must surely have the Gnat and Fish
role tied up for the future, Kevin Elliot was most impressive as Humpty-Dumpty, shining
through his voluminous polystyrene swaddling.
Sheila McKean was surely a governess in an earlier life whilst Juliet Humphrey (who
might have given us a little more volume) adopted fresh and amusing postures time and
again.
A terrific input of energy and 'fight' skills from Estelle Buckridge kept things moving
a'pace, and Felicity McCormack showed that her time at the Ministry of Funny Walks was not
wasted. Her elegant and measured 'mugging' was a joy.
Power and Gravitas came courtesy of Alex Nichols and Tim Eyres respectively; I loved
the rocking horse sequence. Tim's mock dignity can be a winner with a young audience.
Sarah Wilkinson took the title role and her extensive ballet training showed in her
every graceful move. The production is sharing the role on alternate nights between two
young ladies, so rich is the Guild store of talents.
The show is a wonderful opportunity for Oxford parents to introduce their offspring to
a piece of truly imaginative theatre. I hope the marketing endeavours are aimed at the age
level for which the writing was lovingly created.
Reviewed by Don Fathers for Theatreworld Internet Magazine
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