Before we even enter Arts Centre Melbourne tonight it's apparent that Christopher Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland is in the house: a deck of themed 'playing cards' is scattered about, stuck to the ground outside the entrance, and a floral arch frames the top of the escalator directing us "Down The Rabbit Hole". In the foyer, beautiful Alice's Adventures In Wonderland-inspired watercolour drawings by Jake Magakahia (Coryphee, Australian Ballet) are exhibited alongside one of Bob Crowley's brilliant set designs from this production. A couple of zany characters also pose for photos/stalk those milling about waiting for their ballet dates.
It has to be said that Lewis Carroll's fanciful book with its LSD-spiked plot is a designer's dream so the wow-factor of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland is pretty much guaranteed even before the State Theatre curtain rises to reveal the setting of a garden party in Oxford, 1862. Projection designers (Gemma Carrington and Jon Driscoll), Crowley's masterful sets and costumes plus the puppetry design of Toby Olie bring this 21st-century ballet to life, ensuring seemingly impossible scenes are recreated live (even if a puppet version of Alice, elegantly and effortlessly danced by Ako Kondo, is required in order to do so). The way Alice's changing scale — when she shrinks and then grows to become enormous — is tackled is inventive and the transformation from Kondo to puppet is always carried out seamlessly. Joby Talbot's score is appropriately ramshackle to reflect worlds beyond the looking glass while also referencing memorable snippets of other famous ballet scores such as Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty.
Cleverly, Wheeldon's production gradually escalates in mayhem from Act I (which commences with human characters before spiralling down the rabbit hole) through Act II (enter The Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter and The Caterpillar) into Act III (which enters total nutbar territory with The Queen Of Hearts holding court). Crowley's innovative costume design sees a wig shaped into The Mad Hatter's ears and the incredibly realistic somersaulting hedgehogs are so adorable we actually wanna take one home.
There's unparalleled beauty throughout Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland (that falling rose petal-shaped confetti!) as well as side-splitting hilarity (Amy Harris as The Queen Of Hearts boasts perfect comic timing during The Sleeping Beauty's Rose Adagio pastiche and Steven Heathcote's despondent The King Of Hearts is popular with the audience). Some of the detail in Wheeldon's intricate choreography is sadly lost due to slight timing errors during this opening night performance, but The Australian Ballet company's characterisation is exceptional across the board. Dancers of this calibre adopting the tics their characters require within this quirky choreography is much harder than it looks; just how Adam Bull simultaneously twitches and pirouettes as The White Rabbit is beyond comprehension and this Principal Artist never disappoints. Speaking of star turns, Kevin Jackson dons tap shoes to add human percussion as The Mad Hatter and his constantly changing facial expressions dazzle as much as that remarkable costume we simply must see close up. However, it's the puppets that steal the show during Act II, with The Cheshire Cat and The Caterpillar's appendages making the audience chuckle in reaction to these cute innovations.
Don't miss a beat with our FREE daily newsletter
Ultimately, it's Act III of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland that totally charms our (hopefully candy-cane pinstriped a la The Mad Hatter) pants off. From the moment the curtain rises to reveal Three Gardeners painting white roses red (while executing tricky pirouette sequences, mind), this act's comedic tone is set. Does the spectacle swallow up Wheeldon's choreography? Probably, but as our eyes happily roam from Alice to Queen, flamingo mallet to hedgehog ball (whether dancer or prop) we care not.
Pure escapism, Wheeldon's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland is an absolute joy to behold. And our audience experience is further enhanced when State Theatre's lush, burgundy curtain rises for a special extra curtain call this evening: the Australian Ballet company are revealed, holding up "Yes" signs or letter-balloons spelling out the clear message that all onstage stand united in supporting equal rights for all Australians.
The Australian Ballet present Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, 'til 30 Sep at Arts Centre Melbourne, and 5 — 22 Dec at Capitol Theatre Sydney.
