Arts

Theatre Review: Alice By Heart

A wondrous production that explores grief and escapism, showcasing the talents of the EMCT

Presented by: Elder Conservatorium Music Theatre
Reviewed: 10 October 2024

The second-year students bring the premiere of Alice by Heart to South Australia, and it is clear within the first few minutes that they well and truly deserve their sold-out season. The talent on this stage, combined with tight music direction and thoughtful direction, make this a show that will stay with audiences for a long time.

The plot is a variation on the Alice in Wonderland story that we all know so well. Set in a bunker during the London Blitz of WWII, Alice Spencer escapes to the world of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with her friend Alfred, who is slowly dying of tuberculosis. After her book is confiscated, Alice retells the story ‘by heart’. The resulting stories, in which Alfred becomes the White Rabbit and the March Hare, and other people in the bunker turn into characters from the book, are both variations on the original stories, caused by an imperfect memory, and twists that show Alice’s desperate attempts to keep her friend with her for as long as possible.

The performances by the students are strong across the board. Ellie Esdene McMahon as Alice plays the role beautifully, showing depth particularly in her portrayal of the character’s refusal to come to terms with grief, and sings like an angel. A particular highlight includes her duets with Matt Hawke (Alfred/White Rabbit/March Hare). Their vocal blend is stunning. Matt Hawke acts his respective roles excellently, showing a clear distinction between his characters in the book and when he breaks back into the ‘real’ Alfred.

The supporting actors do a fine job of maintaining elements of the ‘real’ people in the bunker when becoming characters from the book. Ryan Murphy’s PTSD-suffering soldier turned Mad Hatter walks the line between delightfully mad and seriously disturbed with finesse. Damian Lee as the slightly camp Dodgy and extremely camp Duchess stole the show whenever he flounced on stage. Ranz Custodio and Phoebe Rodger, as the hookah-smoking caterpillars, worked well as a team in Chillin’ the Regrets, though sometimes their harmonies weren’t quite perfect. The clever ensemble choreography through this number was a real highlight of the show. Melanie Cowmeadow, as the nurse, seemed to struggle to find another dimension to the stern character, but her Queen of Hearts was larger than life and showed off her impressive vocals.

Direction and vision by Erin James is strong, with a clear focus on character and story. The consistency of the cast with their characterisations and the flow of their ‘real’ to their ‘Wonderland’ characters is a testament to James’ focused direction. The use of items from the bunker to create the elements of Wonderland is clever, keeping the set simple (a necessity in the intimate Little Theatre) while at the same time emphasising the fact that Wonderland is Alice’s form of escapism. Music Direction by Peter Johns is tight and consistent, showcasing excellent vocal blend in the ensemble and character-driven lead vocals.

Unfortunately for those who haven’t bought tickets yet, the season is sold out. You’re missing out on a truly wondrous production that showcases up and coming talent that we are sure to see on professional stages very soon.

Reviewed by Kristin Stefanoff

Photo credit: Greg Balcombe 

Venue: Little Theatre, University of Adelaide
Season: 10 – 13 October
Duration: 1hr 35min
Tickets: $42.90
Bookings: https://events.humanitix.com/alice-by-heart-ecmt (SOLD OUT)

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