“This isn’t just some silly game. I’ve got no time left.”
Alice (Caitlyn Cerza) is lying about with the Caterpillar (Elliott Esquivel) and Cheshire Cat (Mizha Overn). The duo convinced her to take it easy, and whatever substance it was they were consuming seems to have done the trick. Alice was looking for a way to freeze time, and for better or for worse, it feels like she did. When the White Rabbit happens upon her, he is far from amused. He is very focused on the ticking time clock, and they have to get to the next point in the story. A fight spirals between the two friends, causing him to snap with the quote above. As he runs off, Alice remains alone on stage—full of guilt and unsure of how to move forward.
Those familiar with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are no stranger to the White Rabbit. As you may remember from many popular adaptations, the rabbit is obsessed with time, and is forever focused on lateness and getting from one place to the next. Alice by Heart is no exception, and the White Rabbit’s character is infused with a similar urgency. However, part of the intriguing creativity of this particular adaptation is the multiple layers in which this story unfolds. The White Rabbit is not just in a storybook tale, but also represents an important figure in young Alice’s life—her best friend, Alfred (Joe Giovannetti).
Early in the play we learn that Wonderland is an imaginary space to which Alice and Alfred would escape as children. When reading the cherished book, Alfred pretended to be the White Rabbit, adventuring alongside Alice as they encountered the many famous characters. Once again, Alfred and Alice find themselves diving back into the story—only this time, with an added level of urgency. The friends are now teenagers in the middle of the London Blitz of World War II. As they take refuge in a bunker, they learn that Alfred is suffering from tuberculosis. As he is ripped away from Alice to quarantine, the two return to playing out their favorite story as a form of comfort, which once again brings us to the quote:
“This isn’t just some silly game. I’ve got no time left."
The White Rabbit may have no time left, but Alfred has less. As he races against the ticking time clock that is the remainder of his life, he begs Alice to quickly resume so they can finish before it’s too late. Suddenly, Wonderland does not feel quite so light, and the nightmarish qualities that bubble to the surface feel even more frightening. As we watch Alice sit alone crying in this adaptation by Steven Sater and Jessie Nelson, wishing the rabbit would return, the story starts to beg the questions: What do we do with the time we have left, and what would we do if we had the power to freeze it? Perhaps, like me, you will lean in a little closer upon this realization of the double meaning, hoping that the wonder of the story might help the friends find some kind of comfort.
With music by Duncan Shiek and lyrics by Steven Sater, the score features a list of songs that highlight the overlap of emotional depth and childlike wonder of the musical. West of Words, Down the Hole, Sick to Death of Alice-Ness, and I’ve Shrunk Enough are just a few of the many that audiences experience. Helmed by co-directors Derek Van Barham and Brittney Brown, the stellar ensemble brings this story to stunning life. Cerza and Giovannetti in particular as Alice and Alfred create the beating heart of the story, filling their love story with a heartbreaking genuineness that you might just find is impossible not to root for.
Van Barham’s choreography does not disappoint, adding a creative spin to the ensemble numbers that thrust the audience further into the twisted, magical nature of Wonderland.
Brilig Braelig is the Jabberwock’s solo, and those familiar with the story will know that this is meant to be the largest monster. Darian Goulding infuses the much-needed dark, nightmarish qualities into the character, but Van Barham does not stop there. Costume designer Rachel Sypniewski outfits Goulding with a large, black set of wings, and provides every ensemble member with an equally terrifying mask. Van Barham brings them all together, connecting each ensemble member to Goulding, thereby creating a larger-than-life monster that feels as if it consumes the space. Alice is vastly outsized, and when combined with lighting (and scenic) designer G “Max” Maxin IV’s flashing bright lights, you might just find that you too feel outsized and outmatched alongside the young girl. Van Barham and his design team allow the theatricality of the production to feed the magic of the story. The effect? A series of unexpected and creative approaches to the material that leave you sitting on the edge of your seat, wondering what feat will come next.
Maxin IV and Sypniewski are joined by sound designer Matt Reich and properties designer Jakob Abderhalden, wig designer Keith Ryan, and makeup designer Syd Genco in this endeavor.
Full of imagination and impressive talent, Alice by Heart is the epitome of a theatrical event.
Alice by Heart runs through September 29 at the Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Tickets are $25 - $55 for Thursday – Sunday performances.
For more information on this and other plays, see theatreinchicago.com.
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