A trip down the rabbit hole

Following rabbit holes will lead you to spectacular places, but jumping into one on Wayne State’s campus will lead you to the Hilberry Theatre for “Alice in Wonderland.” This production is aimed at children but can easily be enjoyed by an older crowd.
Director Matt Foss (A View From a Bridge, Mid-Summer Night’s Dream) breathes new life into the classic story. It is set in modern-day Detroit before Alice (Ciarah Mosley, Ashley Shamoon) stumbles into wonderland, and the whole show has an industrial junkyard feel to it. The set and costumes are made from things commonly seen on the streets of Detroit.
A throne made from old crates, a crown made of Coca-Cola bottles, a golf club sword and the most impressive of all, a smoke breathing dragon made from tubes and a garbage can. Foss wanted the show to have a sense of “play,” which led to the use of everyday items as set pieces and costumes. Visually the play is stunning. The bright sets are an urban playground.
There is constant motion from the actors on stage, music and audience participation. Having the actors on stage interacting with the children in the audience was a great way to keep them engaged in the story.
The story may be hard to follow if you know nothing about Alice or Wonderland. Some of the situations lack context and may have you wondering what is going on.
The characters in the show are taken from “Alice in Wonderland” and it’s sequel “Through the Looking Glass.” The white rabbit (Steven J. West), mad hatter (Dylan Stuckey), and queen of hearts (Jaye Stellini) are make an appearance. The characters are engaging and have a distinct feel to them. Tweedledum (Jaye Stellini) and Tweedledee (Jennifer O’Phee), were portrayed as flowers and acted like two bickering valley girls. Although the main focus of the show is children, students should not skip this production.
There is enough substance to keep an older crowd entertained. With some jokes specifically aimed at adults.
Alice in Wonderland is at the Hilberry Theatre until July 11. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children.