St. Anne’s Wonderland, written by David McShane, is a delightfully snappy rendition of Lewis Carrol’s Alice novellas. With only weeks to assemble and perfect a condensed play, each aspect of Wonderland is just as near flawless as one could expect. Packing the entirety of Carroll’s world of Wonderland into a twenty-minute time slot is no small feat. Each handpicked, slightly altered line of dialogue must perform both a comedic and narrative role, while also ringing true to the whimsical rhyme schemes of the original. Wonderland does just that and with an effortless flow that never feels rushed or spotty.
The expected clunky transition into and out of Wonderland is made smoothly with the clever idea of both opening and closing the Cuppers performance with verbatim poems from the novellas in an enchanting chorus. Jabberwocky, with its nonsensical wordplay, zips one down the rabbit hole with plop onto a world just as queer as the poem. Likewise, the closing recital whirls one up and wakes one from the wonderful dream the play creates.
Singling out any one role as captivating or alluring would be an insult to the other performers, as each part was a remarkably selfless and unique embodiment of Carroll’s fantastical creations. In such a condensed space as was offered, it is the colorful will of the performers to not only peel their parts from page to stage, but to tastefully embellish each oddball along Alice’s path with their own fitting personality, that makes the play superb. Alice herself never loses flavor and treads through Wonderland, picking at each actor and actress with pomp and curiosity.
Despite a lack of props, Wonderland was able to do more than expected with simply five fold-up chairs and a table. The costumes and makeup were exceptional for such a small production, and the presence of each performer on the small stage throughout created a tangible outline of the play. Interpretations of Carroll’s tales have a tendency to be gaudy or overdone, see Tim Burton’s recent film remake, but such is not the case for the Stanners. In fact, the most unfortunate aspect of Wonderland is its brevity.
Any negative critique of the play would come in the way it stuck too close to the original storyline. Of course, this is combated by the unique and creative appeal of each role. If there are slips in dialogue, they are covered quickly by a supportive, instinctive cast. And when the lights do finally come up, one is but itching to dive back down the rabbit hole of St. Anne’s Wonderland.
FOUR STARS
