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Alice in Wonderland single work   musical theatre   children's  
Issue Details: First known date: 1956... 1956 Alice in Wonderland
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

An adaptation of Lewis Carroll's famous children's story, this version retains the original adventures, with the addition of ballet and pantomime music.

Dot Mendoza's score is largely influenced by Vienna waltz styles.

Notes

  • Produced in arrangement with J. C. Williamson's Theatres Ltd, the text was adapted by producer/director William Orr.

  • Influenced by Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.

Production Details

  • 1956: Phillip Street Theatre, Sydney, 14 December 1956 - 14 January 1957. Producer/Director William Orr. Costumes Peter Hurst.

    Cast incl. Kathleen Gorman (Alice), Max Oldaker, Kevin Brennan, John Parker, Barry Humphries, Leon Thau, John Flemming, Brenda Humphries, Michael Laurence, Alan Dearth.

    • Presented as daily matinee shows during the Around the Loop season, the final performance on 14 January 1956 was a special gala charity evening event.

  • This entry has been sourced from on-going historical research into Australian-written music theatre being conducted by Dr Clay Djubal.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

First known date: 1956
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Related Works

Alice in Wonderland Phillip Street Theatre , 1961 single work musical theatre children's

Children's musical.

A musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll's popular story, this version portrays Alice as a more timorous and hesitant child than the precocious English character typically presented. In this respect, the casting of pop singer Patsy Ann Noble in the lead role saw her develop a 'nicer' and more warming persona than Alice's traditional bossy and confident nature. The Sydney Morning Herald's theatre critic, R. C., wrote of the production that 'The sets, turning over like the pages of a book, have the modest neatness characteristic of the production as a whole; and any child old enough to enjoy the chime and sparkle of Carroll's mad logic and impudent fantasy is likely to be grateful for the chance of experiencing it in a theatre' (26 December 1961, p.7).

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Works about this Work

'Alice' at Phillip St. Theatre L. B. , 1956 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15 December 1956; (p. 4)
— Review of Alice in Wonderland William Orr , 1956 single work musical theatre
'Alice' at Phillip St. Theatre L. B. , 1956 single work review
— Appears in: The Sydney Morning Herald , 15 December 1956; (p. 4)
— Review of Alice in Wonderland William Orr , 1956 single work musical theatre
VIEW ALL WORKS ABOUT (1)
Last amended 8 Apr 2011 09:49:21
Influenced by:
Lewis Carroll
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