The Young Oxted Players "Alice in Wonderland"

Barn Theatre - 11th March 2016

For young performers, the opportunity to take part in the iconic "Alice in Wonderland" at the well loved Barn Theatre is an experience they will remember always. A dedicated and fastidious production team spearheaded by the imaginative and clearly inspirational director Carly Thompson, together with detailed and splendid costumes by Pattie Thomas-Verweij, assisted by Janet Beatty, alongside clever and well designed set by David Sutton gave the youngsters a wonderful platform on which to showcase their talents.

Among these youngsters are a very few who clearly possess the ability to try for the profession, in good time, provided -and this is vitally important -that stage is their obsession and dedication their watchword. Talent, by itself, is not nearly enough for the professional stage.

I list my comments on the performers as follows:-

Sophie Moss - Alice

Splendid assurance, stage presence and clear diction. Extremely well cast in the lead role.

Louis Spanton - White rabbit

A most appropriately "frantic" portrayal and a highly enjoyable performance.

Beth Mesher - Queen of Hearts

Played this bloodthirsty character to near perfection. Frighteningly good!

Joel Wall - King of Hearts A well pitched foil to the Queen.

Alex MacTavish - Knave of Hearts Played with assurance.

Hattie Erwood - Herald / also an Oyster Solid performance.

Louisa Gautrey - 2 of Spades / also an Oyster Did well.

Erin Wiercx - 5 of Spades / Walrus Did well.

Elena Vinall - 7 of Spades / Carpenter Did well.

Sam Oxlade - Tweedledum / Guard Good stage presence and diction. One to watch for the future.

Sam Lynch - Tweedledee / Guard Another talented performer.

Tali Rumsey - Mouse / also an Oyster An endearing mouse with a winning way.

Teddy Stevenson - Caterpillar A naturally gifted and very charismatic young man. I predict a big future for him.

Maria Kelly - Duchess Did well, though somewhat softly spoken.

Lara Urch - Fish Footman )

Grace Rumsey - Frog Footman ) Both made much of these characters

Anna Rastelli - Mock Turtle / Cook I loved her performance.

Beckie Wilkes - Cheshire Cat Confidently and enigmatically played the role.

Connie Price - Mad Hatter She will long remember her portrayal of this famous character. So will others.

Jared Wiercx - March Hare Another who clearly relished this important role. Connie and Jared made much impact and worked well together.

Charlotte Hosp - Dormouse a cute and charming dormouse.

Jonah Rumsey - Gryphon Did well in the role.

Fern Simmons - White Queen An outstanding performance and highly charismatic. Another one to watch out for.

Phillip Langham - Jury Foreman / also an Oyster Showed distinct ability and made much of the part.

Ellie D'Alessandro - Red Queen Took this important role and made it her own.

Harvey McGuinness - Humpty Dumpty Cleverly made us feel sorry for his character.

In my remarks I homed in on the positives in each performance and indeed all on stage played their parts to the best of their ability. Some, mainly the younger children, spoke too quickly and softly. In general , if you believe you are speaking too slowly and deliberately, then you are probably getting it right. The audience , any audience in any production , have the right to hear and understand what is being spoken (or sung). I know as well as anyone how nervous young people can be on stage, but most learn, when more experienced, how to control and even how to positively use those nerves to enhance their performance. Without the adrenaline that nerves provide, no performer can give his or her very best. The time to worry is when you have no nerves at all!!

I heard no prompts at all on the night that I attended. This is most unusual and quite an achievement for you all.

The effects of the excellent costumes, together with Stephanie Hornett Johnson's hair, wigs and wonderful make-up truly gave a magical feel to this show. Lighting and sound under the tender care of Carolyn Rowley and John Chinnock respectively added further lustre.

As each of Alice's fourteen adventures unfolded; whether down the rabbit hole, in the pool of tears, along to the mad tea party - a most effectively set scene - to her meeting with the Mock Turtle, through the "who stole the tarts" situation, the Red Queens entrance , the amazingly dressed and bizarre Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the White Queen's entrance and after meeting Humpty Dumpty , who fell into our hearts (pun intended!), she finally reached the eighth chessboard square and thus became herself a Queen. Then followed her own Coronation and then the end of her wonderful dream.

Growing in turn smaller and then larger, her many puzzling and startling adventures reminded us all that the real star of this show was the genius of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, aka Lewis Carroll, whom you may be surprised to learn, fell out with W.S. Gilbert, of Gilbert and Sullivan, over Gilbert's use of an expletive in H.M.S. Pinafore. Genius brings it's own problems, clearly!

My only regret is how soon the evening ended but, as they say in showbiz land, "always leave them wanting more". This was certainly true here. Take another bow YOP's,; you deserve it.

Jon Fox

NODA AREA19