Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Unsted Park School Theatre Group) - Review

LEWIS Carroll's timeless tale Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland gets a wondrous adaptation by a young cast at Unsted Park School (in Godalming), which marks the successful culmination of months of preparation and confidence building.

Adapted by English teacher Emma Gaunt (with support from Charlie Philips), Alice’s classic journey is brought vividly and cheekily to life (given his ad libbed parting line) by its narrator, Joshua Strudwick (also cropping up in various other roles), as well as leading lady Isabel Evenden, expertly displaying both curiosity and determination throughout her trippy journey.

All of the classic characters are present and correct; from the fraught, time aware White Rabbit (an energetic and suitably panicked performance from Zachary Tackley) to the eccentric yet charismatic Mad Hatter (nicely played by Lucas Fairbrother, looking very dapper in his colourful costume). He also makes his mark as the Pelican.

But all of the cast is given the chance to shine, with some even occupying a couple of roles.

Luca Gian Carnevale combines arrogant disdain with a confident air of authority as the Dodo, before cropping up again as one of two fearful cards in the Queen of Hearts court, while Ambrose Taylor adds mystery, quirkiness and charm to both of his roles as Cheshire Cat and Caterpillar.

Leia-Rose McGill infuses her portrayal of the Queen of Hearts with equal parts ruthlessness and madness, shouting “Off with their heads” with gleeful abandon, while Edward ‘Ted’ Brownstone brings mischievous energy to March Hare at the infamous Mad Hatter’s tea party.

All of the key sequences from Carroll's text are there, conveyed in a minimalist yet highly effective setting - whether it’s the biscuit heavy tea party itself, the Queen of Hearts' garden, or the imaginatively illustrated set, which further brings Carroll’s imagination to life via paintings of mushrooms, playing cards and Wonderland animals that some of the cast, including Luca Gian, also helped to decorate.

Adding to the overall vibe, meanwhile, was a lively score from Jamie Kneller on guitar and Charlie Penfold on drums, which incorporated hits from The White Stripes and Nirvana to add an alt-rock meets grunge meets punk rock energy to proceedings - a modern touch that only added to the overall charm.

But then this was an Alice that never missed a beat; the hard work of its cast (and crew) giving rise to a charisma and camaraderie that was alive for all to see - and which ensured that the audience departed the school hall with a smile as wide as the Cheshire Cat’s and hearts glowing with pride.