Alice
Through The Looking Glass
Little Acorn Theatre
Bedlam Theatre, Aug 3-16 (not 6 or 13)
****
A stylish set and a strong visual impact take this version of Lewis Carroll’s nonsensical fairytale into some disturbing and nightmarish places, so be warned that younger children (and twenty-something reviewers) might be petrified.

The cast turn in accomplished, highly stylized performances and a youthful Alice is particularly impressive and perfectly cast. At times the choreography looks a little awkward, and although the music sets the right atmosphere, at times it seems to compete with the action on stage, rather than enhance it.

That said the puppetry, the costumes and the dazzling contrast between the darkness of the nightmare sequences and the lightness of Alice’s innocence make this a must-see show for anyone who loves theatre to be theatrical.

by Jane Buffham