The story behind Alice in Wonderland
This summer you’re invited to tumble down the rabbit hole with the Alice in Wonderland theatre show. Perfect for the whole family, this production retells the story of Alice’s unforgettable adventure, bringing to life all of Lewis Carroll’s zany characters, from the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit to the Queen of Hearts. With extraordinary puppets, exquisite costumes and an original score, the show captures all the enchantment of the celebrated tale, captivating children and adults alike. Let’s recap the story of Alice in Wonderland.
Down the rabbit hole
In Lewis Carroll’s 1865 story, a little girl called Alice is sitting by a riverbank when she spots a white rabbit in a waistcoat. She follows it down a rabbit hole and finds herself falling into a magical realm. She lands in a great hall, and finding a door to a beautiful garden, she discovers she can’t fit through. A bottle marked ‘DRINK ME’ shrinks her to the right size, but realising she has left the key to the door high up on the table, she eats a cake marked ‘EAT ME’ to get large again. A series of events follows during which Alice finds herself shrinking and growing, until at last she reaches a normal height and can wander through Wonderland.
The Cheshire Cat
Alice comes to a house where she meets the Duchess and the Cheshire Cat. The Duchess is departing for a croquet game with the Queen of Hearts and Alice leaves, heading into a forest. She meets the Cheshire Cat again, who gives her directions to the March Hare’s house before fading away to nothing but a grin. Alice goes to the March Hare’s house and joins a tea party with the March Hare, the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse. She learns they have wronged Time and are trapped in perpetual tea-time. Growing tired of their talk and their discourtesy, she journeys through the forest until she finds a tree with a door, which she enters.
The garden
Alice finally reaches the garden she glimpsed through the door of the great hall. After saving several gardeners from the Queen of Hearts, who has a fierce temper, she joins in a fantastical game of croquet where the mallets are flamingos and the balls are hedgehogs. She meets the Duchess again, who tries to befriend her, but the Queen of Hearts sends her off to hear the story of the Mock Turtle. After listening to the tale, Alice attends the trial of the Knave of Hearts, who is accused of stealing the Queen’s tarts. She finds herself called to the witness stand and before long upsets the Queen, who orders her to be beheaded. Before this can happen, Alice grows large and knocks over the Queen’s army of playing cards. Suddenly Alice finds herself awake beside the river, with her head in her sister’s lap. They go inside for tea.
See Alice in Wonderland
You can catch the Alice in Wonderland performance from 12 July to 31 August at Marylebone Theatre. The production is perfect for kids aged five and over, running for 60 minutes with no interval. Book your Alice in Wonderland tickets with KX Tickets today.
