As their production of the critically acclaimed Marvellous opens @sohoplace in the West End, the New Vic’s festive show Alice in Wonderland begins to take shape at the Staffordshire-based theatre as the company prepares for the finale celebrations of their 60th anniversary year.
New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins (Marvellous, Tom, Dick, and Harry) said: “I’m so happy to be bringing our production of Alice in Wonderland to the New Vic stage this year as the finale to our 60th anniversary year of theatre making in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire.
When we first staged this show in 2011, we gave the classic tale a radical overhaul, exploring themes of illiteracy and food poverty and how both might affect a young child in our world. Sadly, we find these are themes that are still as relevant today as they were then, and so it seemed appropriate to bring our Alice back to the stage. In our version of the story, Alice is a young girl who can’t read, navigating her way through a new city to find food for her family, discovering many different types of people and places along the way in ‘wonderland’. The character discovers a love of storytelling and reading on her journey, as well as her sense of self, and it’s a wonderful exploration of how a character can grow through many different experiences.
There’s an important message at the heart of the story that makes Alice a relevant, relatable character and I’m delighted to be able to share it with audiences once again.”
Following on from their UK Theatre Award nominated Beauty and The Beast, a 14-strong cast will bring to life the New Vic’s magical Alice In Wonderland for the festive season this year.
Danielle Bird (Beauty and the Beast, Astley’s Astounding Adventures) and Michael Hugo (Marvellous, Tom, Dick & Harry) share the role of the Mad Hatter/Chorus alongside Victoria Brazier (The Snow Queen, The Borrowers for the New Vic) as the White Queen/Mam/Musician/Chorus and Katie Cannon as Chorus/Musician.
Jimmy Chambers (Caligari, ChewBoy Productions at Edinburgh Festival Fringe) will play Tweedledum/Musician/Chorus with Angelina Chudi (Henry VI: War of the Roses, Henry VI: Rebellion, RSC) as Tweedledee/Musician/Chorus.
Stasha Dukic (My Thousand Year Old Land, New Vic Borderlines) will appear as the Cheshire Cat/Musician/Chorus. Making her professional debut is Eleanor Fransch as Alice, with Lucinda Freeburn as the Dormouse/Rose/Musician/Chorus; Matthew Ganley (Around the World in 80 Days, The Snow Queen for the New Vic) as Dodger/White King/Mad March Hare/Musician/Chorus; Purvi Parmar (The Book Thief, Bolton Octagon; The Jungle Book, The Dukes Theatre) as Red Queen/Chorus; Kyle Potter (Jack and the Beanstalk, Pomegranate Theatre) as Chorus/Musician; Peter Watts (Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Nottingham Playhouse) as The Great Blanco/White Rabbit/Musician/Chorus and Madeleine Wilshire (Twelfth Night, Jupiter Theatre; The Illustrated Girl, Hall for Cornwall/Kneehigh Theatre) as Chorus/Musician.
Opening on Friday 18 November 2022 and running until Saturday 28 January 2023, this adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic by New Vic Artistic Director Theresa Heskins, is one of the New Vic’s best-loved Christmas shows and will be captivatingly brought to fresh life by the same creative team behind the theatre’s previous successful Christmas productions including last year’s UK Theatre award-nominated Beauty and the Beast and the theatre’s UK Theatre award-winning The Snow Queen, which won the accolade for Best Show for Children and Young People in 2017.
In true New Vic style, Alice in Wonderland is set to be an adventure like no other, filled with fun, laughter, live music, and many magical moments, giving the young, and young-at-heart, a joyful festive treat this year.
Alice in Wonderland will take to the stage at the New Vic from Friday 18 November 2022 to Saturday 28 January 2023. For more information visit newvictheatre.org.uk.
