A curiouser and curiouser family production that is exactly what a show like this should be.
Young Alice, currently studying (and hating) Alice in Wonderland at school, and her mother have a row on their way to grandmother’s house. These kind of arguments are commonplace it seems, and they feel like they are stuck in a loop. Alice, in her frustration, leaps onto the tube right before it departs. Then, the journey into Wonderland begins.
A traverse stage lined with tube seats. Display ads sitting up high with warnings that, “The Jabberwocky is watching.” The tube map showing only two locations: “Where you are” and “Where you need to go.” From the minute you enter the theatre space at Brixton House, the Poltergeist company make sure you are immersed and ready for fun. And oh boy, do they deliver.
Jack Bradfield’s writing is excellent, managing to retain the key points of reference from the original whilst adding its own magic. It’s clearly a well-crafted play with pleasing symmetry and a moving through-line concerning the relationship between a mother and child, both of which keep the play tight and impactful. Our old favourite characters are inventively re-imagined: Dee and Dum are football hooligans; the White Rabbit is an overworked office lackey; and the Hatter has become rather handy with a mic. Indeed, the use of rap in the play is a masterstroke, inherently adding energy and acting as a brilliant tool for accessibility. They even managed to get an older audience joining in with Gerel Falconer’s lyrics. Turns out you’re never too old to appreciate a good beat drop. As a self-confessed pun-lover, I must also give credit to the sheer number of London Underground-based wordplay we hear. Walthamstow-away and the use of Northolt were probably my two favourites but I won’t spoil the rest. And there’s a fair few of them.
Simply, the show is marvellously creative in every area. From fun moments of subversion in the story—the Chatter’s tea party being a particularly brilliant example—to Bradfield’s use of space and surprise, to Alice Boyd and Rajiv Pattani’s use of sound and lighting to take us on Alice’s journey between carriages, to Debbie Duru’s bright archetypal costumes and their nods to the original, to Shankho Chaudhuri’s complementary design choices like a throne in the shape of a tube sign, to the combination of elements to bring the scary Jabberwocky to life… you get the idea. It’s a joy to watch. Add in the expert pacing and rhythm from the writing and acting alike and it’s even better. A reviewer’s dream.
Speaking of the acting, the cast do a tremendous job. Nkhanise Phiri is endlessly engaging as the titular Alice, with a youthful exuberance and dynamic performance worthy of larger audiences. Toyin Ayedun-Alase is great as both the scary Queen and the enthusiastic but indecisive Chatter, and also manages to successfully capture the depth of Alice’s struggling mother. The rest of the cast are equally brilliant and are clearly having the most unbelievably enjoyable time. It would take too long to mention each role, but my standout moments were: Khai Shaw’s sudden switch of character as Pigeon, embodied with charm and skill; Will Spence’s slightly nervous but caring Cat, played with a satisfying simplicity; and Rosa Garland’s grandmother-ish Tortoise, always lighting up the stage with her wide-eyed arrival. Vitally, a family show like this needs chemistry and this cast have it in abundance.
Are there the tiniest moments where the show drops the ball? Maybe a couple. The end fight—on top of the train, where else—lacks some pace and fluidity and, very rarely, voices are lost in the space. However, the wonder of the show more than makes up for it, as does the importance of its messages: plans require action to work; calling for help doesn’t make you weak; and running away from your problems only makes them bigger. Useful points to remember at any age.
Unfortunately, there were not many younger children in on the night I was watching, although there was one young girl directly opposite me, sat next to her mother, who was absolutely glued to the performance from the off. That’s no easy feat and is a testament to the wonder of this bright, innovative and wonderfully accessible production. I mean, I loved it and I’m twenty-five. I only wish I could have watched it when I was younger. Do go and support it, and this theatre, if you can. You won’t regret it.