Wonderland Remixed in Covent Garden.
Is it Time for Tea or Time for ThErApy? This astonishingly powerful production by Kate Prince MBE takes key characters from Alice in Wonderland and interprets each with a mental health disorder. The White Rabbit suffers from anxiety, the Cheshire Cat oscillates from uber cool to angry young man and Alice herself has body dysmorphia. All are locked up in a scary institution, Ladrington Brook is all about ‘Teaching Normals to the Non-Normals’. A new doctor, Ernst (Tommy Franzen) arrives at the institution and it’s obvious from the outset that the institution itself is dysfunctional, led by Dr Fontwell, a man in a white coat who is obsessed with ‘normalisation’.
As Ernst is introduced into the secure unit for ‘hopeless cases’, he discovers a group of vibrant and dynamic characters led by the Mad Hatter himself ((Issac Baptiste AKA Turbo). Introductions take the form of stylized dances to a fabulous soundtrack augmented by a team of talented vocalists. Who could help but fall in love with the endearing White Rabbit (Jaih Betote) who managed to fuse hip-hop with a whimsical expressiveness? Alice (Natasha Gooden) in her pretty blue dress and white apron, frets about her size while making some amazing moves. And the March Hare (Elijah Smith) charms the audience with his spirited dancing, before revealing his inner torment and lack of self-esteem.
This is a production that takes the audience with it thanks in no small part to the excellent narration by Betty (Malinda Parris). We watch in awe as Tweedle Dee (Harrison Dowzell and Tweedle Dum (Lindon Barr) execute the Rattle Battle, using breakbeats to fight it out until we discover that Tweedle Dum is experiencing PTSD and his brother, who passed away when they were babies, is just an hallucination. Laugh out loud when The Cheshire Cat (Andry Oporia), who has paranoia thanks to long-term drug use, is easily tempted by a ball of catnip. And, be stunned by the sometimes charismatic, sometimes aggressive Queen of Hearts (Jade Hackett) who suffers from bipolar seamlessly melds a showcase of dance forms into her story.
As the stomping, cheering and clapping along from the audience grows, the story comes to a climax when Ernst has a breakdown and becomes catatonic. The inmates escape, taking him with them…
After the interval, a new set, in Wonderland, deep in the heart of the forest, sets the scene for the key message of this work. That there is no such thing as normal and what we perceive as normality is based on our past. Every member of the audience inwardly rejoices when Ernst, on his path to recovery, starts to join the dance.
The poignant story of the Mad Hatter who knows he is dying of mercury poisoning brought on by his work as a milliner, comes to a head when he leaves. His role is taken over by Ernst who has now abandoned his work as a doctor specialising in normalisation.
Everything happening on the stage is reinforced by the passionate and brilliant team of musicians. An original soundtrack by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde is brilliantly executed with vocals from Kelly Agebowu, Shaneeka Simon, Ross Green, Malinda Pariss and Teddy Wills who dance their way through most of the action from a platform above the main stage. But each has an acting role too. Fabulous Gospel-style numbers are interspersed with hip-hop, rock and breakbeat.
It’s fun, mesmerising and fantastically athletic. While I’m not convinced Breaking belongs in the Olympics, it certainly requires immense talent and the cast of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party put on an amazing display. The underlying message is clear but never forced. With wonderfully colourful costumes and a clever, quirky set from Ben Stones, this is a production everyone can enjoy and one where audience participation is inevitable. Don’t miss the 10th anniversary of this production, a perfect complement to Christopher Weeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland which opens on the main stage on 28th September.
The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party runs from the 4th to the 24th of September with a relaxed performance on the 21st of September. Tickets can be found here
Linbury Theatre
Royal Opera House
Bow Street
Covent Garden
WC2E 9DD
Zoo Nation: The Kate Prince Company co-production with The Royal Ballet Studio Programme.
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