The New Vic has rounded off its 60th year with a revamp of its massive hit Alice in Wonderland. The Newcastle-under-Lyme theatre has attracted much acclaim over the years for its magical festive productions and Alice is ranked amongst the best of a fantastic bunch.
More than a decade since it first appeared, Alice has been brought back by popular demand and it is easy to see why as its heady mixture of mirth, music, merriment and magic produced gasps of astonishment from the wide-eyed younger members of the audience and rapturous applause from the older theatre-goers.
Those familiar with the story were gratified as Alice (Eleanor Fransch) met all of the well-known characters as she tried to find a way home from Wonderland after falling through the trapdoor. The Mad Hatter (Danielle Bird) was having his tea party with the Mad March Hare (Matthew Ganley) and Dormouse (Lucinda Freeburn); the Red Queen (Purvi Parmar) and White Queen (Victoria Brazier) continued to do battle on their fantastical chessboard; Tweedledee (Angelina Chudi) and Tweedledum (Jimmy Chambers) were as bizarre and contrary as ever; and White Rabbit (Peter Watts) was on hand to rescue Alice with a final flourish of magic.
The acting was top notch with the cast once again showing the versatility of a typical New Vic set of actors. With the cast taking various roles and providing all of the music and movement, the audience was entertained right from the start. The music and movement of the first scene set on a Stoke-on-Trent canal quickly moved on to the verve and activity of a busy market and there was much to delight the eyes and ears of the onlooker.
But a Christmas show needs that wow factor to seal it into the collective memory. Rest assured, those x factor moments appear in spades as the viewer is dragged into the experience of a Wonderland.
There are some clever sequences of special effects throughout including the scenes when Alice falls down the hole, when she takes the potions to make her grow and shrink and when the Red Queen loses her head. There is also magic worthy of a variety show as Watts puts into practice the tricks taught by consultant Darren Lang.
And the animatronics are to die for. The Cheshire Cat (Stasha Dukic) is beautifully portrayed and the fire-breathing Jabberwock is an excellent creation that provides a fitting finale to the First Act.
Many of the cast are making their first appearance on the New Vic stage and, on this performance, I am sure that they would be welcomed back with open arms in the future. Theresa Heskins has produced another massive hit. With the excellent support of Set Designer Laura Willstead, Costume Designer Lis Evans, Musical Director James Atherton and Choreographer Beverley Morris this production truly takes the audience into Wonderland.
Alice in Wonderland is a truly magical way to celebrate the festive season. If you are looking for a festive treat then this is well worth a visit.
The production has a running time of 2 hours 10 minutes including interval and continues until January 28th. For ticket information contact tickets@newvictheatre.org.uk or 01782 717962
