Alice in Wonderland is a retelling of the Lewis Carrol classic, with a young cast of performers from BOA (Birmingham Ormiston Academy). 

Creatively reimagined, Alice in Wonderland focuses not on Alice herself, but the experiences of her three daughters as they navigate the eclectic and bizarre world of their imaginations. Alongside the well-known characters of the story – the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and the Queen of Hearts – we are introduced to plenty of weird and wonderful personalities, from talking doors and playing cards, to a crab, Pat the Guinea Pig, Bill the Lizard and a rather hilarious cook. 

For a group of performers so young, the show is rather impressive. The actors themselves are all clearly very talented, delighting the audience with fun songs, great solo and group vocals (in perfect harmony), great choreography and plenty of comic timing, all done with boundless energy and enthusiasm. I loved the fact that, while family friendly, there were as many jokes for the adults as there were for the younger members of the audience, along with little ad libs and audience interaction. 

Alice in Wonderland is slick, fast-paced and as professionally presented as many shows I’ve seen with a much older and far more experienced cast. From imaginative use of set and props to the presentation of the Cheshire Cat through the use of lighting and umbrellas (which prompted plenty of ‘ooh’s’ from the audience when it first appeared), it was a fun production filled with colour. 

It would be difficult to name every cast member, particularly as the show uses four different casts on rotation, but suffice to say that there wasn’t a single performer on stage who didn’t give it their all. I see great things in their futures!

A fun, family friendly show that is definitely a must-watch!

Alice in Wonderland is on stage at The Old Rep until Friday 17th December. Purchase your tickets here!