Chickenshed: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Online

Chickenshed is the north London theatre company known for its inclusive productions and community-oriented work, supporting performers of all ages, abilities, and social and economic backgrounds for over 40 years. As entertainment venues have been forced to shut once again just before the festive season, the company are reviving a family-friendly musical (originally performed during the Christmas season in 2005) via their YouTube channel to bring some cheer to audiences missing the theatre at this special time of year.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a real feast for the eyes; costumes, props and make-up play a huge part in bringing the fairytale alive and recreating Carroll’s magical world in a colourful display. The set is also dazzling, which means that the ensemble numbers are effortlessly spectacular. The cast keep the entertainment going with many endearing young actors helping to create the heartwarming atmosphere. The story is also narrated in sign language throughout by members of the ensemble.

The musical features all the well-known characters and episodes from the story, but the development of the plot feels a bit rushed. Alice jumps from one scene to the next with great zeal, but there is no feeling that she is confused or bewildered by her experience. The production fails to flesh out the characters or give structure to the protagonist’s inner journey, and in many ways there seems to be an assumption that the audience is better acquainted with the story than in fact they might be. 

Though this is perhaps not the ideal introduction to the classic, it is overall a fun, lively and ambitious production that ticks plenty of boxes and will likely entertain many a family during the festive period. 

Mersa Auda

Chickenshed: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is available to watch online from 21^st December until 31^st January 2021. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch a trailer for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland here: