Brad Shaw today launches the Wonderland Challenge, in which 165 actors and voice artists have come together to record Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, with each performer reading one minute of the novel.
Those involved include Gyles Brandreth, Ruth Jones, Juliet Stevenson, Michael Palin and Harriet Walter. Also reading extracts are Christopher Biggins, John Challis, Henry Goodman, Angela Griffin, Patricia Hodge, Alex Jennings, Griff Rhys Jones, Phyllis Logan, Kevin McNally, and eight cast members of The Archers. The project is in aid of the NHS, with over £3000 of the £10,000 target raised so far.
Five one-minute recordings will be released each day on www.wonderlandchallenge.com until the entire novel is available. The first ten minutes were released today, featuring Hayley-Marie Axe, Claudie Barba, Sarah Borges, Ellie Darvill, Brenda Longman, Julie Love, Catherine Millsom, Brad Shaw, Helen Suzanne, and Ferha Syed.
Brad Shaw said today, “As someone with ‘underlying health conditions’, I’m one of the twelve-week isolators. To stop myself going mad I learnt basic web design and launched isomeet.co.uk as a social and information hub during isolation. I also wanted to do something joyful to get me through, and having been a voice actor for many years I wondered if I could persuade other pro voice artists to record a minute of Alice in Wonderland and donate a tenner to the NHS. Within days, I had filled all 165 slots and a host of wonderfully talented high-profile actors also agreed to join. Each time I listen to a recording, I fill up a bit, they are all wonderful. It’s been a fabulous life-affirming project. I can’t wait for the public to hear it.”
Wonderland Challenge was created by voice artist Brad Shaw to bring actors and voice artists together for a creative project, and to give back to the frontline NHS workers. Shaw is in self-isolation due to a stage 3 melanoma, and created his website as a social hub for others isolating, to share tips, anecdotes and useful links.
To hear the recordings and donate, please visit www.wonderlandchallenge.com
