Syracuse Stage’s new production, ‘Lookingglass Alice,’ creates a spectacle in an unexpected way with a five-person cast. Based on both Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ and ‘Through the Looking Glass,’ the show epitomizes cirque, folly and splendor.

‘Lookingglass Alice’ tells the tale of Alice’s journey to become a queen. She starts the show as a pawn, and each space to which she moves represents a story from one of Caroll’s books. On one hand, the story is a whimsical tale full of oddities and nonsensical humor, but on the other, it’s a story of a typical girl’s passage into adulthood.

Lindsey Noel Whiting plays Alice and is the only performer who portrays just one character throughout the show. Whiting never leaves the stage, juxtaposing the faces of Wonderland’s antics. It’s her flying-trapeze skills, however, that make her a sight to remember. Every so often Alice takes flight, and the air acrobatics stop the show in a whimsical transformation.

For the rest of the cast, there is a constant struggle between actors to outdo one another – but in a good way. Molly Brennan, Anthony Fleming III, Doug Hara and Samuel Taylor each delight as the famous ‘Alice’ characters. At one point, three of the actors comprise the Caterpillar, acting as one unit. The three move in sync – walking together, talking together and performing acrobatic feats together. There is also the Cheshire Cat, played by Fleming and portrayed as a large man with a lot of attitude. Hara plays the White Queen in drag, while Brennan might as well be playing the Red Queen in drag due to the exuberance she leaks. Taylor is the Rabbit, Hara is the Bumbling White Knight, and Brennan and Fleming take on Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum.

One of the most memorable scenes is when the group joins together to form the Mad Hatter and company for a tea party. What ensues is an insane combination of circus conundrum, dance number and laugh fest.

The experience of this show, however, is made by the quality of its non-human aspects. The staging is truly unique for such a small theater – a number of audience members sit onstage in contrast to the normal seating arrangement. From fabric waves to a sea of oversized bouncing balls and balloons, the show pours out special effect after special effect.

The show’s only fault is that it can be confusing at times. However, there is a feeling that this was the writer’s intention since anything can happen in Lewis Carroll’s world. If a pile of shoes falls from the ceiling and there’s no explanation, so be it. If a mouse has purple hair, a British accent and likes to sleep on audience members, OK. And if Alice wants to spend a few minutes hanging from a string, go for it.

Anything’s possible in ‘Lookingglass Alice,’ which makes it a must-see for any Syracuse theatergoer this spring.

gmillerj@syr.edu

Published on February 28, 2010 at 12:00 pm