An Evening in Wonderland: Quercus Theatre Co. Perform ‘Alice’

The School’s accomplished Drama Club, Quercus Theatre Company, delivered their Junior School Production to an enthusiastic audience on the evening of Friday 15th March. The show was ‘Alice in Wonderland’ based on the book by Lewis Carroll and adapted for stage by Andrew Biliter, and was very well received by the assembled crowd.

The production featured three characters playing versions of Alice, Alice Ada and Alice Mabel, the cast of the Mad Hatter’s tea party and the Queen of Heart’s croquet match together with a whole host of animals including a lobster, a dodo, a lizard, a caterpillar and of course the white rabbit: “It’s quarter past late already!”

The play was a whirlwind tour through the children’s novel focussing on key scenes and characters to create an innovative narrative. According to Andrew Biliter, who adapted the familiar classic by Lewis Carroll, “Alice was an outsider in Wonderland after falling down the rabbit hole, lost, confused, excited, and discovering. Very much your typical adolescent.” This perspective came across very clearly in the Leighton Park production as Alice is repeatedly unable to answer the question of exactly who she is as she interacts with the various characters and scenarios in her unfamiliar world.

20 of the junior school company are in Years 7 and 8 with a further five actors from Year 9 supporting the Fryers. The show has been in rehearsal since the Autumn as the group, who meet weekly in co-curricular time, prepares for the national ISA Drama Competition on Thursday 21st March.

Lars (Year 8) who played the March Hare enthused: ” I would say that the best thing about playing in March Hare was that I got to put on a funny accent and I got to give my character a lot of gusto. I have loved every moment of being and taking part in Quercus. I would say the opportunities that you receive to shine are excellent. Finally I am feeling confident that we can make a good impression for the ISA.”

Connie (Year 7), who played Alice Ada, commented, “I found my role as Alice Ada a really interesting role. I felt like each Alice had a different personality and I really like how the part was split so not only was it an interesting twist in the play but also it took a lot of pressure off all of us knowing that we wouldn’t have to memorise the whole play.

I’ve really enjoyed Quercus Theatre this year for a number of reasons. One of them definitely being the community and the overall atmosphere of the club being a welcoming, kind and supportive group of people who have grown to be a really important part of my recent life. I have to admit, I was really nervous and knew few people in September but now I’ve made so many friends just from participating in the club.

The drama opportunities at Leighton Park are absolutely amazing! No matter what your experience or talent, the theatre company here is always welcoming to newcomers who want to give acting a go. Every year, we do a number of school plays that are just so fabulous and exciting. Watching the plays is an amazing experience and furthermore acting in them can be a whole new level!

I am feeling a little bit nervous about the ISA competition later this week but now that I’ve done the actual play in front of lots of people, I’m feeling a lot more confident about the next performance.”

Lauren Brandwood, Director, was delighted with the performance, saying: “I am thoroughly impressed by the hard work and dedication demonstrated by the students of Quercus. We have been working on this play since September, so it has been a long journey, but it has all paid off. Some of these students had never stepped foot on a stage before, so it was fantastic to see them explore this experience for the first time. We have the ISA competition on Thursday this week, and after witnessing them produce such high-quality work, I am confident that the competition will be loads of fun!

It goes without saying how incredible the entire cast has been, but the effort of all three Alices to learn their lines is exceptional. The play itself can be quite confusing, so for them to successfully communicate the story of not just one Alice, but three, is astonishing. Els, Connie, and Cecelia should be truly proud of their work.

Many new Year 7 students really impressed me, but we also couldn’t have done it without our incredible Year 9s. I will be sad to see them leave Quercus at the end of the year, but it only excites me for their prospects in the Upper School production. This has been our first year running the theatre company, and it’s amazing to see how successful and popular the hobby has become. I can’t wait to further develop it and bring another incredible performance to the School next year!”