Alice - The Musical

This was my first visit to Young Promenaders, the Junior section of Promenade Productions.  It was also to the Parabola Arts Centre, what a delightful evening it was.  The group gives young people between the ages of 6 and 16 the opportunity to develop performance skills, including singing dancing and acting. 

The set was very simple, an open stage with a set of low rostra at the back to give a second level, an area for projected images for scene changes, and furniture as required. The series of projections when Alice was becoming smaller were fun and the moving graphics for Alice falling down the rabbit hole were very effective. The proscenium arch had been decorated with large playing cards, pictures of watches and other ‘Alice’ related images. 

The production had been well costumed with characters such as Alice, the White Rabbit, the Duchess and Queen of Hearts being instantly recognisable. All the ‘animals’ were well represented by their costumes, which I am sure helped with character and movement development, I loved the rather zany ‘Cheshire Cat’.

The music was provided digitally and Musical Director Vicki Beauregard had taught the songs well, the cast all sang enthusiastically. The soloists were all tuneful, had good diction and used the microphones well. Choreographer Mollie Champion-Pinchin had devised routines, which the cast performed and enjoyed.

The company worked well together and it was lovely to see the more experienced members of the group helping and encouraging the younger and less experienced members.  Everyone performed enthusiastically and are all to be commended. The principals had worked hard on characterisation and gave confident performances. 

Director Paul Webb had encouraged his young cast to perform confidently. There were interesting ideas such as using the chorus to make a human ‘rabbit hole’ for the White Rabbit and Alice to go down and the lovely croquet match with human hedgehogs and playing card hoops. The painting of the rose bushes was well done and the ‘Tea Party’ was very disciplined with the rearrangement of chairs and people rushing around all the time, it worked very well.

Well done everyone involved with the production and especially the Young Promenaders themselves on providing your audience with an enjoyable evenings entertainment.

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