Alpha Bet Soup Productions’ version of “Alice in Wonderland,” now at Candlelight’s Children’s Theatre, takes many elements from the original story and plays with them. But in its overeagerness to modernize the tale, it occasionally hits some discordant notes.
As in the original, Alice (Lynette Knapp) chases the White Rabbit (Jennifer Ray) down a rabbit hole into Wonderland. Alice meets the usual characters: The Cheshire Cat (Wendy Carlson), and the Door Mouse (Andrew Waters). But it’s Mary Zentmyer as the Queen of Hearts and Milo Snajdr as the Mad Hatter who spice up the show.
The Queen demands attention whenever she’s on stage, strutting and stalking and yelling, “Off with her head!” It’s a juicy role, and Zentmyer makes the most of it.
Snajdr’s campy Mad Hatter is a cross between Rip Taylor and Liberace. He leads the others in a dance called The Tea Time Two Step-a kiddie version of the Time Warp Dance from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Just like in that movie, the dancers wear little party hats and wild-colored glasses.
Another show-stopper is the dance scene by the four royal flowers who think they’re superior to everyone else. The Mad Hatter helps Alice dress up for the Queen of Hearts’ “croquet game and Tupperware party,” giving her a teapot hat, tea bag earrings and a red-and-white checkered dishtowel as a shawl.
The innovative costuming (by Susan Holm) is one of the best aspects of the play.
From a realistic Humpty Dumpty (Charles Benek) to the walking and talking playing cards who paint the royal roses red, these creative costumes make it easy to believe you’re really in Wonderland.
Unfortunately, the writing isn’t as imaginative. Mark A. Pence, who adapted the book for the stage, replaces too many of Lewis Carroll’s words with well-worn jokes, most of which went over the heads of the youngsters in the audience.
“Alice in Wonderland” has its moments of sheer genius in scenes such as the tea party, the royal garden’s declarations of superiority and the croquet game using flamingoes as mallets. These zany scenes reflect Carroll’s humor perfectly. But when Pence strays too far, he cheapens it.
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“Alice in Wonderland” plays through Feb. 25 at Candlelight’s Children’s Theatre, 5620 S. Harlem Avenue, Summit. Phone 708-496-3000.
