Review: ALICE IN WONDERLAND - A PANTOMIME is good fun for all

I'm pretty sure that you will love ALICE IN WONDERLAND - A PANTO (and don't you tell me "oh no, I won't" because I'll just say "oh yes, you will")

That's right, this version of ALICE IN WONDERLAND is a true pantomime with all the audience interaction hijinks and hilarity. It's a lot of fun! So, thank you to the two societies - Pinelands and Milnerton - for bringing it to life for audiences this festive season.

The madness of Lewis Carroll's classic ALICE IN WONDERLAND is so fitting for a pantomime. It's already a completely topsy-turvy world, so writer Ben Crocker had plenty to work with when putting his pantomime together. I could also see that everyone on stage was leaning into the madness with the greatest of glee.

This pantomime is full of the characters you know and love from the original - Alice, of course, the White Rabbit, The Cheshire Cat, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and the Mad Hatter. Then, they throw a spanner in the mix with a character named Harry - a curious boy with a wand who also falls down the rabbit hole. We're also faced with the Right Royal Red Queen and the Wrong Royal Red Queen... Oh and some very bad Wrong Rabbits who are good fun to boo!

There are some brilliant standout performances in this show, and it's tough to pick a favourite or two... But I have to give special mention to the two Queens, played by Lyle Wilson (Right) and Regina Malan (Wrong). They are excellent and have the most superb comic timing. Kim R2 as the Mad Hatter is also a good laugh on stage - she plays unhinged almost too well! And Anton Schafer as Bandersnatch, the leader of the Wrong Rabbits, is a lot of fun.

It's very clear, watching this production, that the team is having the best time. The directorial team of Kyla Thorburn and Barend van der Westhuizen has whipped this cast into shape and given them a great framework within which to play. Choreography from Nicola de Jager and Shayni is effective and entertaining.

My only real gripe with the show is the length. It's over an hour before interval and about an hour after. That's very long, especially for a show that kids are coming to watch. I really think the script could've been trimmed down. Other than that, I was cackling away at the jokes and joining in on the booing and just having fun the whole night.

Catch ALICE IN WONDERLAND - A PANTO at Milnerton Playhouse until 14 December. Tickets are R195 and can be bought on the Milnerton Players website.