Alice panto perfect family fare with lots of laughs
Alice in Wonderland – the Pantomime, directed by Susan Wilson, music arranged and directed by Michael Nicholas Williams, Circa Theatre, until December 22. Reviewed by Sharron Pardoe.
Enter the pantomime world of Simon Leary and Gavin Rutherford – two talented artists who as well as writing this decidedly Wellington take on a classic, also act, sing and dance in it.
Rutherford, as Dame Majori, set the scene for the night with the first Wellington clanger – arriving on a pink scooter and saying it could be chucked in the harbour ‘‘along with the rest of them’’.
As we head down the rabbit hole (The Justin Lester Mt Victoria Memorial Tunnel) the child-like world of Wonderland opens up.
Natasha McAllister is a lovely, curious Alice, and musical director
Michael Nicholas Williams has made the most of her powerful voice, reworking wonderful Kiwi classics from Th’Dudes, Opshop, The Dance Exponents and Split Enz to name a few.
Andrew Paterson and Susie Berry kick up their heels as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. They dance their way though the show with great comic timing and strong voices. They are a perfect foil for the evil Queen of Hearts (Jonathan Morgan) who has built a Trump-like wall of cards, to shield herself from the rest of the world.
Morgan has a great presence on stage and the children in the audience were very happy as they were encouraged to boo the Queen and warn of danger.
You can’t have Alice in Wonderland without the White Rabbit (Sarah Lineham) and Mad Hatter (Leary). Both actors relished their roles and Leary’s work with the puppet Dormouse was entertaining for children and adults.
Leigh Evans’ choreography keeps the whole cast constantly moving as the audience is taken on a ride through Wonderland. Both she and director Susan Wilson use the set with its simple levels and projection screen, to full advantage.
This pantomime is a perfect mix – the children will love the traditional antics but their parents will laugh themselves silly at the clever, refreshingly non-PC jokes targeting Wellington people, politicians and issues.