Down, down the rabbit hole we go…
Get ready to journey into the whimsical world of Alice by Heart, a musical adventure that reimagines the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland. It will be staged at Braeburn Theatre by the players of Braeburn Secondary, with a cast of captivating characters, haunting melodies, and a magical set. This show will transport you from scenes of wartime London to the enchanting madness of Wonderland.
Alice by Heart is a musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, reimagined as a poignant story of love, resilience, and escape. Set in London during the Blitz of World War II, the life of teen Alice Spencer is disrupted, as she and her best friend (and secret love) Alfred take shelter in a London Underground tube station as bombs fall above.
Alice turns to her beloved copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland as a way to escape the grim reality surrounding her. Alfred, suffering from tuberculosis, is quarantined and Alice urges him to escape with her into the cherished stories of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and travel down the fantasy rabbit hole with her.
As many will recall from the British children’s classic, Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland follows the curious and imaginative young Alice, who tumbles down a rabbit hole into a parallel world filled with bizarre characters and nonsensical rules. As she navigates this dreamlike land, Alice encounters an array of inhabitants, including the Cheshire Cat, the eccentric Mad Hatter, and the tyrannical Queen of Hearts. Each encounter challenges her perception of logic and identity, leading her through a series of often bewildering adventures.
In Alice by Heart, this surreal adventure becomes Alice’s attempt to help herself and Alfred mentally escape their frightening circumstances. Along the way, each of the unusual creatures that Alice encounters represent parts of her inner turmoil.
The other people hiding in the shelter with Alice and Alfred slowly change into some of the book’s characters. Creative Facilitators Alice Coleman and Pierce Williams note that while the morphing of characters and scenes between WWII and Wonderland makes for an interesting scenario, it can be a little confusing. However, the play was written with the intent that the audience succumbs to the surrealism of Wonderland and follows the journey with an open mind.
Alice by Heart originated in 2012 as a collaborative project by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater. The musical’s concept emerged from and a desire to reframe Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’s timeless themes of escape and transformation in a new, emotionally charged setting. Sater and Sheik envisioned an emotional sanctuary—a fantasy portal for dealing with fear, loss, and love.
It’s an unusual and not very well known play to stage. Coleman told me that after Braeburn’s last production of In The Heights, which was highly technical with fast paced rapping and quite intricate Broadway-style choreography, the directors were thinking of how to raise the bar for the next production.
“Alice by Heart struck us because it was so physical in the way that it was telling stories, but not in the typical manner. It is more physical theatre, with lifts and abstract movement”
This choreography of the physical movement aligned to the songs has been very cast-led, giving the students the agency to devise and create. From dramatic lifts to intricate formations, the cast’s commitment to exploring the physical side of storytelling has added an extraordinary layer to this beloved tale. Interestingly, because of the small number of roles and large number of actors, the play has been double-cast, with 2 separate casts of main characters who are on stage in alternating shows.
Coleman said, “It has been quite interesting in the way the two casts have approached the piece. So some of the choreography is not exactly the same; the two leads have choreographed some of their stuff differently based on their chemistry and their understanding of their characters. I don’t think we’ll have any of the shows that will be [exactly] the same.
Although the dual settings of the play are dominant, as Coleman says, it’s actually a coming of age story – of Alice growing up while everyone is trying to stop her from doing so. It’s also a commentary on the teenage body and mind, the risk taking inherent in teens, and first love. Coleman and Williams did a lot of workshopping and unpacking of the meanings of the lines and lyrics with the actors so that they could process the grief aspect of the play and cope with the heavy emotional toll of acting in these roles authentically. As the cast are teenagers themselves, they have connected deeply to the themes of the play.
The subject matter of the play can be heavy but many scenes come across in an engaging and almost joyful way, partly due to the excellent score. Contemporary sounding with guitar and synthesizer in parts, the music has been described by reviewers as dreamy, haunting, witty and pretty, weaving classic Wonderland elements with a contemporary edge and making it easy to follow Alice and Alfred’s journey down the rabbit hole.
With just days left until show-time, the cast is diving heart-first into Wonderland, transforming rehearsals into a vibrant, wild adventure. From gravity-defying lifts to enchanting storytelling, every scene is brimming with life and magic.
Join them as they tumble into this whimsical world, where shadows and dreams collide in an extraordinary journey through Alice’s imagination. From Thursday, Wonderland fully awakens — complete with set, lights, costumes, and a story to steal your heart. One that reminds audiences that, even in our darkest moments, imagination and love can provide a place to heal and remember who we truly are.
Alice by Heart will be performed at Braeburn Theatre, Gitanga Road:
Thursday 7 Nov – 7:00 pm
Friday 8 Nov – 7:00 pm
Saturday 9 Nov – 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm (Gala Show)
Get your tickets today and journey down the rabbit hole with Braeburn!