Review: Beautifully Designed, ALICE IN WONDERLAND Still Lacks Wonder

The anchor of the Shaw Festival's 2016 season is an ambitious musical adaptation of the beloved, ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Veteran Shaw visionary Peter Hinton breaths new life into the classic Lewis Carroll tale featuring 19 original songs under the musical direction of Allen Cole. Tara Rosling stars as Alice and leads a large cast which also stars Graeme Somerville, Moya O'Connell, Kyle Blair, Donna Belleville, Ben Saunders and Jennifer Phipps.

Peter Hinton brings the production to life with stunning visuals, production design and the over-the-top grandeur that you would expect in Wonderland. His vision marries the dual worlds of Alice's life - 1862 Oxford and the infamous fantasy of Wonderland. The stage design allows for versatile set pieces to weave in and out of the two narrative lines. A huge part of this feat is the stunning digital projections designed by Beth Kates and Ben Chaisson - marrying both the surreal and real; the two are responsible for much of the beauty of the production.

William Schmuck also designs and curates a glorious collection of costumes. While extravagant and theatrical, the designs are still humble and modest, adding a charming layer to the entire production. While not at the level of obscurity as the Tim Burton film adaptation, the costumes - notably that of The Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts are equisite.

Unfortunately, that is where the magic stops. The roughly two-and-a-half-hour performance features a bleak and uninspired score which results in a stale and wonder-lost production. Not one of the 19 original songs was memorable or different enough from another. In fact, all the numbers featured the large ensemble cast in dreary musical numbers, with no opportunity for any of the leads to showcase their vocal abilities. ALICE IN WONDERLAND is a story so rich in plot and conflict, and it's unfortunate that the musical numbers were not used to showcase this narrative arc. In typical musical theatre formula, the production lacked strong solo numbers or an eleven o'clock number - let alone a memorable finale.

Still, Tara Rosling is a charming Alice - her naivety and child-like attitude is perfect for the role, with her imagination and curiosity overflowing. Moya O'Connell also shines as the Queen of Hearts; giving a much needed boost of excitement in the comparably stronger second act.

From a production perspective, it is stunning, gorgeous and everything you'd expect from a Shaw production of the tale. But it's the dreary and unmemorable score, and stretched plotline that wouldn't excite children as much as it could of. It's in desperate need of some wonder.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND is playing at the Shaw Festival's Festival Theatre until October 16, 2016. For tickets and more information, visit shawfest.com

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