Alice by Heart
NextStop Theatre’s Teen Intensive
Photo credits: Heather Regan
Curiouser and curiouser…
Thanks to a dynamic cast and crew, audiences at NextStop Theatre’s “Alice by Heart” were transported down the rabbit hole and into the sprawling world of wonderland. For a production set in the grounded scenery of World War II London, this show was a feast for the senses; whimsical characters popped out from every which way, and each with a kookier personality than the last. Complete with stunning lights, an immersive set, and clever costumes, this show delivered both the “Alice” and “Heart” of “Alice by Heart.”
Alice by Heart
Before I get into the review, the show’s premise is definitely one we’ve gotta break down.
With music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater (the same duo who wrote “Spring Awakening” about a decade earlier), “Alice by Heart” is a twist on the children’s story “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, Alice Spencer is hiding in an underground tube station during the London Blitz bombing raids. As she waits by the bedside of her friend Alfred, who has contracted tuberculosis, she reads him the story of Alice in Wonderland to escape the horrors of war. As Alice falls deeper into the story, the people surrounding her begin to transform into the storybook characters: Alfred plays the part of the White Rabbit, the Red Cross Nurse becomes the Red Queen, a traumatized soldier becomes the Mad Hatter, and so forth.
This was the first production of “Alice by Heart” I’d ever seen, and the cast (under Suzy Alden, Jessi Shull, and apprentice Kiko Mataka’s skillful direction) did an excellent job maintaining the physicality and character of their roles throughout the show. Even as they sat around the station as normal citizens, I could almost predict who each character would go on to portray in Alice’s fantastical narrative.
Ready to throw your playing cards to the wind and take a journey through this multi-dimensional tale?
This production
Keira McCrea brought the innocent, inquisitive nature of Alice Spencer to life. McCrea approached every new sight with wonder and curiosity, and in a singsong tone to her voice that came straight out of the Disney film. Her strong vocals shone in numbers like “West of Words,” as she held a storybook tightly to her chest and gazed into the wacky world ahead. To contrast McCrea’s sense of escapism, Harrison Gogats’s role of Alfred/White Rabbit was rooted in reality. While he began the show utterly pessimistic and asserted against Alice’s ways, Gogats displayed a newfound devotion to Alice as he stood his ground to save her from the Red Queen.
Malia Krause was absolutely commanding in her role as the Red Cross Nurse/Queen of Hearts. Krause’s gritty, jazz-inspired rendition of “Isn’t it a Trial?” oozed with power, and every decisive flick of her wrist emphasized her wicked rule. Ryan Lynch was just as bold in his performance of Harold Pudding/Mad Hatter; whether he was nervously scampering around the bunker as Harold or stamping his foot defiantly as the Mad Hatter, Lynch always dove headfirst into the physicality of his character. Alongside Finnegan Cloney’s perfectly timid Nigel/Dormouse, Lynch’s hard-rock number, “Sick to Death of Alice-ness,” became one of the show’s most energetic peaks.
Meera Samuel was the epitome of enigmatic in her role of Tabatha/Cheshire Cat. With every appearance, she mystified the audience with a sly grin and taunting lilt to her words. Near the end of the show, however, she provided Alice with a poignant lesson on grief: a soft, smoothly-sung ballad called “Some Things Fall Away.” Charlotte Waldrop, meanwhile, was intoxicating in the role of Caterpillar 1. As she and Caterpillar 2, Marc LaRue, drifted about the stage, they soothed Alice with the hazy tune “Chillin’ the Regrets.”
That just barely scratches the surface of this show’s zany cast of characters. From Ellie DeVaughn’s spiteful Duchess to JoJo Apfeldorf’s wallowing Mock Turtle, each and every actor in this production crafted a zany personality through the course of the story. The show’s dance ensemble was especially impressive, as they flowed and flitted about the stage like the flowers of Alice’s garden; all courteous of Jessi Shull and Suzy Alden’s entrancing choreography.
The set, designed with the help of student scenic assistant Ellah Skoy, used the concrete, urban feel of NextStop’s blackbox theater to its advantage. The static set depicted the London Subway station, but it was fitted with secret underground passageways and hidden entrances for wondrous characters to appear from. With apprentice duo Abigail Blair and Sofie Saitta’s vibrant Wonderland costumes, the ordinary subway station suddenly brimmed with whimsy and life. Add apprentice Alexandra Farrells’s fantastic lights on top of that, and the audience was in for a colorful, captivating journey through Wonderland.
Who Is It For?
“Alice by Heart” is certainly for fans of the Lewis Carroll classic, but it’s really for anyone who might want to escape the treachery of the real world for a fleeting moment. Even still, the show teaches us that life is not about extending the amount of time left; it’s about making the most of the minutes you still have.
Since “Alice by Heart” takes place during the World War II era, it certainly explores difficult themes like trauma, loss and grief. In addition, Alice in Wonderland itself depicts drug use, although used for whimsical purposes of the story. I’d overall recommend the show for ages 10+, but it’s nothing a mature 9 year-old wouldn’t be able to handle.
Alice by Heart still has four performances left, which run from August 22nd to August 24th. Visit https://www.nextstoptheatre.org/alice-by-heart for tickets and more information on the program.
Looking for other opportunities to grow your performance skills? “Alice by Heart” was the result of NextStop’s annual teen summer intensive; the company has another series of upcoming workshops, as well as auditions for a winter show, that will take place during the school year. Visit https://www.nextstoptheatre.org/teen-conservatory for more information.