The Adventures of Alice
The Adventures of Alice was adapted from the original stories by Lewis Carroll by Jill Alexander, Jill Kevan and Jane Alexander. The production was directed by Severine Powell. It was performed in the gardens of Bell House, Dulwich on 21st/22nd June and 28th/29th June 2025.
CAST
(in order of appearance)
ALICE Charlotte Holmes
RED QUEEN Jane Jones
WHITE QUEEN Katrina Rublowsky
WHITE KING Paul Sykes
MAD HATTER Callum Macphee
MARCH HARE Joanna Norman
TWEEDLEDUM Hannah Powell
TWEEDLEDEE Gill Daly
WHITE RABBIT Alice Kanter
TIGER LILY Claire Arkwright LARKSPUR Emily Tarry
ROSE. Lizzie Tippetts
WALRUS Ian Jones
CARPENTER Jonathan Gabb
OYSTERS Claire Arkwright
Lizzie Tippetts
DUCHESS Judith Arkwright
CHESHIRE CAT Gill Daly
DORMOUSE Hayley Blundell
HUMPTY DUMPTY Jamie Heelbeck
UNICORN Joshua Bradley-Hall
LION Jonathan Gabb
RED KNIGHT Emily Tarry
WHITE KNIGHT Ben Butler
COOK Sam Rose
LEG OF MUTTON Lizzie Tippetts
CHRISTMAS PUDDING Ben Butler
Director: Severine Powell
Chereographer : Chloe Penfold
CREATIVES
Stage Manager: Ian Jones
Assistant Stage Managers Jan Rae
Sam Rose
Wardrobe: Judy Douglas
Sound Design & Operation: Nick Duquemin
Hair and make-up Tilly Powell-Sykes
Photography: Philip Gammon
Poster Design: Tom Sykes
Box Office : Eleanor Orr
Front of House Elizabeth Nicholson
Georgina Hickleton
The Adventures of Alice
review by
Mike Foster
For the fourth time of asking, Dulwich Players audiences have been treated to a production of The Adventures of Alice, based on the fantasy novels by Lewis Carroll. It did not disappoint. Credit goes to director Séverine Powell, who brought life and humour to her characters, some treated with a French twist, and adding innovative dance interludes expertly choreographed by Chloe Penfold.
The story, adapted by Jill Alexander, Jane Alexander and Jill Kevan, is based on Through the Looking Glass but includes some of the greatest hits from Alice in Wonderland (said to be a favourite with Queen Victoria). Looking Glass is generally viewed as Carroll's more successful novel, though it is darker, probably due to the death of Lewis Carroll’s father a couple of years before publication.It is based on Alice’s dream of a game of chess, where she moves from square to square, to be crowned queen at the end of the story. Carroll was a mathematician who used a concept known as binary logic to create a universe of unlikely characters with contrasting views and personalities – often pitting Alice against the rest. He also mixed with his contemporaries in the wistful Pre-Raphaelite movement and enjoyed plays on words – he is credited with inventing an early version of Scrabble.
Key roles are played by the Red Queen (Jane Jones), who always liked to dictate events – right down to telling Alice to introduce herself to her next meal: “Mutton – Alice, Alice – Mutton.” The White Queen (Katrina Rublowsky) was more sympathetic, though not a pushover. Her husband, the White King (Paul Sykes) was as phlegmatic as old age permits as the Lion (Jonathan Gabb) and Unicorn (Joshua Bradley-Hall) were fighting for his crown. The Red King steered clear, staying off stage, unmentioned and presumably asleep. The Duchess (Judith Arkwright) stropped around, being a bit angry. The White Knight (Ben Butler) worked hard to battle with with the Red Knight (Emily Tarry) before expounding to Alice his numerous and potentially unsuccessful inventions.
Ian Jones took the part of the Walrus with relish, and along with Carpenter Jonathan Gabb, they consumed a brace of oysters (Claire Arkwright, Lizzie Tippetts) played by oven gloves. Surprisingly effective, but don’t try it when you’re cooking.
The big scene centred on the chaotic tea party hosted by the supremely sardonic Mad Hatter (Callum Macphee) and marvellously mad. March Hare (Joanna Norman) being nicely balanced by the dormouse (Hayley Blundell) balanced them nicely. (“Twinkle, twinkle, little bat…”)
Tiger Lily (Claire Arkwright), Larkspur (Emily Tarry) and Rose (Lizzie Tippetts) brought floral elegance to the proceedings as well as their magical costumes (take a bow Judy Douglas). The White Rabbit (Alice Kantor) popped on and off, displaying a wonderful French accent.
The Dulwich Players’ backstage team, led by stage manager Ian Jones, assisted by Jan Rae and Sam Rose, and with Nick Duquemin on sound, played a key role in linking the scenes as Alice gathered her ball of confusion.
I don’t have a clue what Tweedledum (Hannah Powell) and Tweedleee (Gill Daly) were going on about, but that doesn’t matter. They made an impact. And so did the play.
Even though it made no sense, whatsoever.
