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Lookingglass Alice
Adapted & Directed by David Catlin
In association with the Actors Gymnasium
At Lookingglass Theatre
821 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL
Call 312-337-0665, tickets $20 - $58--
Call for ticket specials for families
Tuesdays at 6:30 pm
Wednesdays at 7 pm
Thursdays at 6:30 pm
Fridays at 7 pm
Saturdays at 3 & 8 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Running time 1 hour, 45 minutes with no Intermission
Through August 26, 2007
“Wait until you’re tired.” – Humpty Dumpty
Alice falls, floats and lands a spellbinding show that is as fresh as the 2005 originial.
Editor’s Note:
Below is the essence of my February, 2005 review. I was amazed at how tight the quality control is on a remount of a successful hit show. Lookingglass Theatre’s production values are superb. So little has changed that my original review still stands.
Lookingglass Theatre, in association with the Actors Gymnasium, presents the remount (from February 2005 and a successful East Coast tour) of Lookingglass Alice, a whimsical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic stories, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Eighteen years ago to the date (February 13, 1989) Lookingglass Theatre’s first show was Andre Gregory’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland directed by David Schwimmer and featuring this show’s director, David Catlin. Lookingglass Theatre got its name from doing Alice.
“For me, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is...a journey through change and perspective and proportions. It is about falling and reflecting and self-examination and a world about and beyond logic,” states director David Catlin.
The original Alice set the standard for Lookingglass Theatre as a collaborative ensemble based troupe utilizing visuals, rich performance styles, and physical elements of dance, movement and circus in storytelling. True to that mission, this anniversary production of Lookingglass Alice is a major triumph! It is a fantastic show that pushes the limits of spectacle theatre. I loved this show! Trust me on this one---don’t miss Alice! The show vividly demonstrates the spellbinding dynamic only live theatre can generate.
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The press note aptly describes the show: “Alice falls, floats, flies, and defies gravity and the rules of logic on her quest to become a Queen. Marching across a wonderland chessboard, she meets a disappearing Cheshire Cat, a juggling Mad Hatter, two acrobatic Tweedles, a nine foot tall Queen of Hearts, a wall walking Caterpillar, a precariously balancing Egg, and a bumbling Knight who invents his way into Alice’s heart. Muscular, acrobatic, percussive and dizzyingly playful, Lookingglass Alice revisits the classic stories.”
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The cast is lead by Lauren Hirte as Alice. Hirte is a fearless, acrobatic performer whose cute innocence and amazing strength and dexterity are a wonder to behold. Her photo should be placed next to the word “fearless” in the dictionary. Hirte swings from ropes high above the stage as she performs her acrobatics with the ease of a child on a park swing. She demonstrates her strength with several bits where one of the men climbs on her back as she supports the fellow’s weight. Incredible!. Her portrayal of Alice is fresh and effective.
Together with the polished physicality of Larry E. DiStasi (White Knight, White Queen, Dodgson), Kevin Douglas (Mad Hatter, White Rabbit, Humpty, Caterpillar), Anthony Fleming III (Cheshire Cat, Tweedle Dee, March Hare, Caterpillar), Jesse J. Perez (Red Queen, Tweedle Dum, Dormouse, Caterpillar), the ensemble delivers hilarious movements, clever lines, poetry readings, outstandingly timed two-part, three-part and four-part comedic bits as the assortment of strange characters Alice encounters on her journey. From stilt walking, to rope acrobatics, to chair-jumping to deft clowning, these four talented players compliment the heroic performance of Lauren Hirte. Each had several marvelous moments using nursery rhymes, witty word play, silliness and madcap mischief to explore their zany characters.
The ingenious blocking and staging by director David Catlin and his staff is so polished, so detailed and so clever that it grabs us instantly and compels us to enter Alice’s world. We stay engaged for the full 100 minute show. The production staff needs to take a long bow. This is world-class theatre. Full of laughs, daring feats of physicality blended with telling moral lessons, Alice is wonderful family fare that kids will never forget.
I can’t remember being as satisfied with a show as I was with Lookingglass Alice. I believe this may be Lookingglass Theatre’s finest work. It is a triumph. If you only see one or two shows this year---make Lookingglass Alice one of them. The actors keep the energy level at a frantic pace despite having played this show hundreds of times. Take your kids to see this amazing piece of theatrical spectacle.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: June 26, 2007
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