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Lewis Carroll’s two “Alice” books are both essentially episodic. They are full of nursery rhyme characters, fabulous beasts and wonderful creations plucked out of the author’s imagination. They are also shot through with logic puzzles and paradoxes as well as puns and nonsense verse. In short, they are both very entertaining in a host of different ways.
The Tower Theatre Company’s production features all the best-loved moments. The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, The Queen of Hearts’ croquet match, Tweedledum and Tweedledee and Jabberwocky are all there: over forty characters in total. The design is inspired by the famous Tenniel illustrations and the original music enhances the atmosphere.
However, the two books are subtly different. “Alice in Wonderland” presents one nonsense scene after another, creating a world where a child can run riot without constraints or responsibilities. “Alice Through the Looking Glass” has a much stronger narrative thread involving Alice’s participation as a pawn in a giant chess game and her quest to cross the board and become a Queen. It hints at the challenges and achievements of a more adult world. “Curiouser and Curiouser” interweaves scenes from the two books. While remaining totally true to Lewis Carroll, it offers a fresh perspective on his “land of wonders wild and new.”
link to the Tower Theatre website
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