Jorma Elo's Alice in Wonderland returns in August (in a new reworked version!)

Any long term readers of my old blog might remember my less than favourable reaction to Jorma Elo's Alice ballet, which premiered at Finnish National Ballet in 2016.

This year the ballet will have its first revival, again in Helsinki. Intriguingly Elo has promised a substantially reworked version.

So hopefully this fixes any errors.

No word on if there is an online livestream in August, but since the premiere was streamed in 2016, it would seem odd not to stream this re work!  

As always will update if there's any news! 

Alice by Heart: A post

I've left it until now to talk about Alice by Heart, the musical by the writers of Spring Awakening. Not because I've seen it, but because I read an earlier world premiere script (which was published by National Theatre for NT Connections 2016)

I had extreme reservations then and judging by reviews the show has not changed all that much.

My main problem with NT 2016 version still seems to persist in the 2019 MCC version. Namely, the show isn't sure how carrollian it wants to be. And its two stories in one link is awkward... 

When I read the 2016 NT script, I found there was a hard to ignore mis match between Carroll's story and the framing device of a teenager using Carroll's book as a way to escape war hardship and losing her beloved. 

The awkward match feels awkward because the writers use Carroll as a way of talking about teen issues.

*sigh*

 So the eat me drink me scene is about eating disorders. The Duchess sings a sexually charged song because hey! Alice in this version is approaching womanhood and is heterosexual (of course). 

This feels incredibly crow barred in and it disrupts what is otherwise a fairly good concept. 

Also I have the same problem that I have with every version that tries to "age up" Alice - the character, at its heart  (ha!) is 7 and a half. And ageing up a character alone doesn't really change that.

Basically, I wish I could like Alice by Heart, but somehow just can't. Sorry. 

The 1983 TV Series and an alternate playlist...

As I mentioned on facebook, the 1983 anime TV series is somewhat of an oddity.

One of its main oddities is that it doesn't adapt chapters from the books in order. 

If, like me, you're a purist and want to watch all episodes in their book order, consider this playlist as an alternate path through.

I'm adapting Carroll (for Theatre) ( A personal playwright post)

(Image from pinterest) 

No doubt this will take me years and years on end and it might not even get anywhere but...

 I have finally begun work on a extremely early draft script for a back to back version of all of both Carroll books. To do justice to Carroll's works, the adaptation will be 2 plays (for each book) 

It will be set in 1998 in Devon and will be partially themed around loss. 

In my version Alice is about 9 or 10 and is attempting to cope with the death of her Oxford dwelling grandmother who has gifted her Carroll's Alice books. She slips into fantasy whilst the rest of her family grieve. 

I would describe it as Laura Wade's version meets Adrian Mitchell's version. 

I am also slightly drawing on my own childhood living in Devon, UK. Which for those of you who aren't familiar, is a small region which is mainly rural, made up of countryside, seaside towns and the occasional city. 

I had the idea to do this when I was talking with a friend about how to best adapt Carroll and she advised me to "write what I know".  I know about quiet, sleepy seaside towns where nothing happens because I grew up in one.

It also didn't feel right setting it now... because I'd have to deal with the internet's omnipresent presence! 

Thanks for reading,

Chloe :)