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Sam has reviewed Alice in Wonderland...


Alice In Wonderland

Alice in Wonderland is one of those stories that I can’t say I know well and, in the versions I have seen, there has been a lot of variation. Likewise, WYTD Centre’s performance (which I saw twice today) gave a fresh look on this traditional tale and incorporated a range of dances in an array of styles. They attacked it with energy, style, and passion and I couldn’t be more impressed with them all. Showcasing a range of ages, the very small people to the older ones and some of YTYT’s own (Tom, Amy and Emily), the performance boasted poised, sharp dances amidst some “hella strong” acting.
One of the dances that I remember particularly fondly was with the “furry friends” rendition of “When You’re Smiling” which proved to generate an abundance of smiles within the audience. Also, the Mad Hatter, March Hare and the Dormouse used comedy timing to great effect in their dances and worked great as a team: the rapport between the pair as they tried to wake the dormouse was a delight and the expressiveness of the mouse drew the audience in with each of her dances. Worth mentioning also was the battle for power between the Duchess and the Queen of Hearts, drawing us to the edges of our seats. (By the way, if you are reading this and I haven’t mentioned your dance, do not fear! I probably loved it… The standard was so very high)
The theme in Alice in Wonderland of growing up, things changing, isn’t one I had really considered before. However, this came across particularly strongly, using dance to explore how Alice changes size - finding her identity. Also, in Wonderland, Alice had little control over what events occurred, it became apparent that her choices affected her future and the outcomes; moving forward and growing can be about making decisions, even when you don’t know the outcomes.
Overall, the play was a great success. The members of the dance centre should be very proud of themselves as their success was down to both their professionalism, hard work and the work of Sarah, Sarah, Victoria and Catherine in helping them produce the best performance they could.

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