Press Release

For Immediate Use

The Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh is delighted to present


  • 26 November – 31 December 2016
  • Directed by Edinburgh-born Anthony Neilson, who is making his Lyceum debut
  • Costumes, props and set by Francis O’Connor
  • Composition and sound designed by Nick Powell
  • Full cast is Jess Peet as Alice, Alan Francis as Duchess, John Macaulay as the King, David Carlyle as The White Rabbit, Gabriel Quigley as the Queen, Tam Dean Burn as The Mad Hatter, and both Isobel McArthur and Zoë Hunter as ensemble.

When Alice sees a snappily dressed white rabbit holding a pocket watch, she knows today is not going to be like any other – an adventure is beginning! Follow Alice into Wonderland – a place where everyone and everything seems to be stark raving mad, and things keep getting ‘curiouser and curiouser’...

This Christmas, The Lyceum invites you to fall down the rabbit hole and into a world of adventure, where dormice drink tea, rabbits keep time, and Cheshire cats’ smiles linger long after they should. The auditorium will be transformed and transported in this magical Victorian telling of the family classic,Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, devised and directed by Edinburgh-born playwright Anthony Neilson.

Best known for his experimental and audacious dramas, Anthony’s work has been performed at theatres including the Royal Court (Narrative, Get Santa!, Hereditary), Soho Theatre (God in Ruins), The Young Vic (Hoover Bag), The Red Room (Nightmare Before Christmas), and the National Theatre, for which he wrote The Séancefor 2009’s Connections Festival – the nationwide youth theatre festival.

Joining himisFrancis O’Connor, whoseinteractiveand surprising designs are to be built and brought to life in The Lyceum workshop. Francis’ past work includes The Weir (The Lyceum) The Tempest (Abbey Theatre, Dublin); The Daughter in Law (Young Vic); Romeo and Juliet and As You Like It (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Peer Gynt(Royal National Theatre), and Sacred Heart (Royal Court). Bolstering the rich visuals of the production will be music composed by Nick Powell, a founding member of Suspect Culture along with David Greig and Graham Eatough, whose past work includes Inn at Lydda(Shakespeare’s Globe); Running Wild, Lord of the Flies, Peter Pan (all Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); The Haunting of Hill House (Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse), and Lanark: A Life in Three Acts (Citizens Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival), for which he was nominated for Best Music and Sound at the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland.

In her professional debut,Jess Peet (Rags, Company, Caucasian Chalk Circle, all Royal Academy of Music Musical Theatre Company; The Merchant of Venice, CUADC & Pembroke Players, Japanese Tour) leads the cast as intrepid Alice. She will be joined by David Carlyle(The Government Inspector, Birmingham Rep/UK Tour; To Kill a Mockingbird, UK Tour/Barbican; To Kill a Mockingbird; Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre/UK Tour; Yellow Moon/The Monster in the Hall, National Theatre of Scotland, UK & China Tour; Hansel and Gretel, Citizens Theatre) as the White Rabbit;Tam Dean Burn(Venus as a Boy, National Theatre of Scotland; Fortitude, Tiger Aspect; Outlander;AneSatyre of the Three Estates, AandBC Theatre Co; Found at Sea, Traverse Theatre; Emperor and Galilean, National Theatre) as the Mad Hatter; and award-winning comedianAlan Francis (Jeffrey Dahmer is Unwell, Edinburgh Fringe; The 11 O’Clock Show, Channel 4; Alistair McGowan’s Big Impression, BBC1; The Alan Davies Show, BBC Radio 4; War Horse, National Theatre/New London Theatre; The Alchemist, Belgrade Theatre;Alan Francis Expands, Leicester Square Theatre and National Tour) as Duchess.

Completing the cast is John Macaulay(Of Mice and Men, The Lyceum; The Witches, The Cheviot, The Stag and the Black, Black Oil, Great Expectations, all Dundee Rep; Gwen in Purgatory, National Theatre of Scotland; Betrayed, The Tron) as the King;Gabe Quigley (Canned Laughter, ATG; Lovers, Cumbernauld Theatre Company; The Driver’s Seat, National Theatre of Scotland; Between the Thinks Bubble and the Speech Balloon, Oran Mor; Spoiling, Traverse Theatre; Enquirer, National Theatre of Scotland; Coronation Street, Gary Tank Commander, Rab C Nesbitt) as the fearsome Red Queen;Isobel McArthur(Blank, Aurora Nova; Cock, Tron Theatre; The Last of the Dragos, Manhattan Children’s Theatre; Gorgon, Imaginate; Our Country’s Good, The Tron Theatre; All’s Well That Ends Well, Shakespeare’s Globe; 1914 Machine, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland/Traverse Theatre), and Zoë Hunter (Meadow, Old Saw; Keith, Wigtown Book Festival; Moominland Midwinter, Theatre Royal; Melody Loses Her Mojo, 20 Stories High), both as cast.

Speaking of the production, Anthony Neilson said: “It will be wonderful to be back in my home town, making the Christmas show for this grand theatre in which I had so many of my most formative theatrical experiences. For many children, such shows are their first taste of live performance and, with Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, I will endeavour to make a transporting, magical show that will inspire them to make theatregoing a lifelong habit.”

Combining contemporary creative forces with traditional theatrical tropes andmusical magic,this much-loved, otherworldly tale continues The Lyceum’s recent Christmas literary tradition, following record-breaking performances of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.A proper Victorian toy box of a show, this trip to Wonderland promises to both delight and surprise audiences of all ages.

Ends

Full Listings information
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

By Lewis Carroll
A new version created and directed by Anthony Neilson
Designed by Francis O’Connor
Lighting designed by Tim Mascall
Music by Nick Powell

Address: Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Grindlay Street, EH3 9AX

Box Office: 0131 248 4848

Website: lyceum.org.uk

Performance Dates: 26November – 31 December 2016

Times
EVENINGS,7pm

  • Gold dates
    Sat 10 Dec, Sat 17 Dec, Sun 18 Dec, Tue 20 Dec, Wed 21 Dec, Thu 22 Dec, Fri 23 Dec, Mon 26 Dec, Tue 27 Dec
  • Silver dates
    Thu 1 Dec, Fri 2 Dec, Sat 3 Dec, Wed 7 Dec, Thu 8 Dec, Fri 9 Dec, Tue 13 Dec, Wed 14 Dec, Thu 15 Dec, Fri 16 Dec, Wed 28 Dec, Thu 29 Dec, Fri 30 Dec

MATINEES,2pm

  • Gold dates
    Sat 10 Dec, Sat 17 Dec, Sun 18 Dec, Fri 23 Dec, Sat 24 Dec, Mon 26 Dec, Tue 27 Dec
  • Silver dates
    Sat 3 Dec, Wed 28 Dec, Thu 29 Dec, Fri 30 Dec, Sat 31 Dec

Prices

Children’s prices in brackets
Preview Performance:
26 November, 4pm,£10
Preview tickets on sale from 24October

Grand Circle and Stalls:
Gold dates £30(£20), Silver dates £27(£17)
Upper Circle:
Gold dates £22 (£12), Silver dates £20(£10)
Side View Stalls / Grand Circle:
Gold dates £20(£10), Silver dates £20(£10)

Grand Circle Boxes
Gold dates £90(£45)
Silver dates £80(£40)
4 seat boxes (2 seat boxes)

Preview tickets:
£10
Preview tickets on sale from 24October

Concessions:
From £10

Festive Four Tickets Available - four ticketswhich must include at least one guest under 18
£75 for Silver Dates
£85 for Gold Dates

ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
AUDIO DESCRIBED

  • Thursday 8 December - 7pm
  • Touch Tour - 5.45pm
  • Saturday 10 December - 2pm
  • Touch Tour 12.45pm

BSL INTERPRETED

  • Wednesday 14 December - 7pm

CAPTIONED

  • Saturday 3December - 2pm

Notes to Editor
Having recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company is a crucible of Scottish talent and the best of world theatre with a strong reputation for developing Scotland’s considerable indigenous artists while presenting the best of international drama. With a strong reputation for excellence in both classical and contemporary work, The Lyceum is committed to developing Scotland’s indigenous theatre talents and presenting the best of international drama from its home in a magnificent, intimate Victorian building in Edinburgh’s West End.

Internationally celebrated playwright David Greig became the 8th Artistic Director of The Lyceum in 2016, following Mark Thomson’s superb 13 year reign.

In recent years, The Lyceum has staged co-productions with Theatre Royal, Bath; The Bush Theatre, London; Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company; National Theatre of Scotland; Citizens Theatre; Dundee Rep; Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse; Chichester Festival Theatre and the Lyric Hammersmith.

In addition, The Lyceum also runs an award-winning, ambitious and acclaimed Creative Learning programme which engages with over 16,000 young people across Scotland annually.

For more information, please visit lyceum.org.uk