Alice a wonderful adaptation

When Alice falls down the rabbit hole, time flips on its head and stands still.

Once again, the tick-tock of a pocket watch is one of the driving elements for Alice in Wonderland, the St. Albert Youth Musical Association’s annual spring concert coming this Sunday to the Arden Theatre.

Musical director Criselda Mierau has given this magical tale a fresh, imaginative visual twist. It involves bright costumes and wigs, a prolonged chase, a number of memorable tunes, video montages and some of Lewis Carroll’s absolutely wacky poetry.

“My initial reason for selecting Alice was the potentially stunning visuals. But as the work developed, two strong themes emerged — friendships and growing up versus not growing up. And they’re something kids really relate to,” says Mierau.

In this version, Alice has just bought a pocket watch for her father. But the white rabbit spots the timepiece and steals it. Determined to get the watch back, Alice chases him and the hunt is on for the next two hours.

There are 70 choristers in four choral groups. While the singers belt out the tunes and dance through each number, a photo/video montage created by Jay Thygesen will play behind them.

The concert opens with the two oldest choirs, St. Albert Singers Children’s Choir and the St. Albert Youth Singers, singing Dreams that Children Dream.

“I wanted to put the question in people’s minds — is it real or is it a dream? And ultimately does it matter?” asks Mierau.

Mierau’s own imagination never lets up and she’s plowed through Disney scores, Broadway musicals and even Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings to create a fitting story that unfolds gradually with each song.

From Disney, one of the quintessential interpreters of Carroll’s masterpiece, she’s borrowed I’m Late, How Do You Do? and The Unbirthday Song.

One of the book’s big themes is friendship and Mierau has incorporated Cole Porter’s mega hit Friendship.

“But there are all kinds of wacky friendships and they’re not what you’d expect to find. Friendship is a big theme, but it’s friendship stuffed with silliness.

One number that epitomizes a spectacle of silliness is Irving Berlin’s Puttin’ On the Ritz, a full-out dance number with top hats and canes. Mierau also invites an extra 40 adult St. Albert Singers to fill the stage. “This is going to be a showstopper.”

And the Cheshire Cat with his mysterious smile and mischievous nature makes an entrance with You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.

“The combination of video montage and life music makes you say, ‘That is Alice in Wonderland.’ So get out of the snow and come look at colour. Come see the concert.”