Choreographer Septime Webre
Staging Directors Craig Lord-Sole, Reika Sato, Leanne Stojmenov
Set Designer James Kronzer
Costume Designer Liz Vandal
Lighting Designer Clifton Taylor
Puppetry Designer Eric Van Wyk
Flying Designer Dylan Trujillo (Flying by Foy)
Music Ludwig Minkus
A co-production between West Australian Ballet and Hong Kong Ballet
ACT I
PROLOGUE
Alice daydreams as her family swirls around her chaotically. She is mesmerized by the mysterious and quirky Lewis Carroll, a family friend, who takes Alice on a boat ride and picnic in the country.
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
During the picnic, Alice drifts off to sleep while listening to a story of a little girl’s adventures in a wonderland. A White Rabbit hops by, quickly leaps into a rabbit hole and Alice follows, falling for what seems like miles. Alice lands with a thud in a hallway. She drinks a potion and grows quite tall; she fans herself and shrinks quite small. When Alice eats some cake and returns to normal size, she can no longer fit through the tiny door.
POOL OF TEARS AND THE CAUCUS RACE
Frightened and confused, Alice cries a pool of tears. The Dormouse swims by and befriends Alice. Then a Dodo Bird, an Eaglet and a flock of Flamingos plop into the pool. The Dodo Bird decides the best way to dry everyone is to dance a Caucus Race.
PIG AND PEPPER
Alice then meets a Fish footman delivering an invitation to the Duchess, who is agitated because the Cook has put too much pepper into the soup. Alice sees her babies suddenly turn into pigs!
THE CHESHIRE CAT, ADVICE FROM A CATERPILLAR, THE MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY
Later, Alice meets a Cheshire Cat, who appears and disappears, and a Caterpillar who smokes a hookah pipe and changes into a butterfly. Next, Alice stumbles into a chaotic tea party with the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse.
ACT II
QUEEN’S GARDEN PARTY AND CROQUET GAME
Meanwhile, card gardeners accidentally planted white roses in the Queen’s red rose garden. Fearing her wrath, they paint the roses red. The Queen invites Alice to play a game of croquet using Flamingo mallets and Hedgehogs as croquet balls. Blaming the Hedgehogs for losing the match, the Queen proclaims, ‘off with their heads.’ Alice saves the Hedgehogs and the angry Queen chases her into the forest.
TWEEDLE DUM AND TWEEDLE DEE AND THE JABBERWOCK
In the forest, Alice happens upon a Rocking-Horse-Fly, a Bread-and-Butterfly and beautiful Snap-Dragon-Flies. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum playfully argue as they pass by. Alice reflects on her amazing journey with the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Tweedle Twins. The languid group is suddenly threatened by the ultimate danger: the Queen’s Jabberwock. To protect her new friends, Alice slays the beast.
THE TRIAL AND HOME AGAIN
Back at the Queen’s palace, Alice is arrested and put on trial for her crime. Utter confusion breaks out in the court as the Queen shouts, ‘off with her head.’ When Alice realizes the silliness of the Queen and her court, they fall like a house of cards. She awakens from her dream and finds herself at home.