"The script by Tracy Rogers was a masterpiece of adaptation, taking the original Lewis Carroll story that we all know
so well and melding it into a pantomime littered with good jokes and one-liners."
(Dorset Echo, reviewing the production by Burton Bradstock Players).
so well and melding it into a pantomime littered with good jokes and one-liners."
(Dorset Echo, reviewing the production by Burton Bradstock Players).
This is a hilarious pantomime version of the books by Lewis Carroll. Faithful to the original in many respects but with the addition of a Dame – Nora Knowitall. Nora is Alice’s governess who follows her pupil down the rabbit hole and ends up in all sorts of trouble including a stint in prison. Unusually for a pantomime there is no love interest which means that Alice can be played by a younger girl if preferred. All of the favourite characters are there including the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Dormouse. The ‘baddie’ in this story, in keeping with the pack of cards theme, is the mischievous Joker and his useless sidekick is Mr Rules – the rules card from the pack. Chorus characters and juniors are playing cards so there can be as many or as few as desired. The Queen of Hearts is constantly picking on both her hapless husband, who spends his time inventing useless objects, and her sister the Duchess. The White Rabbit and his sister Bunty Bunny are there to save the day. There are lots of opportunities for slapstick including a couple of custard pie scenes and a running gag which ends with the King of Hearts being knocked out by a large blow-up hammer. There is also an opportunity for a good magic trick to amaze the audience.
Male – 6
Female – 6
Male or female – 7
There are also small speaking parts for various chorus members and juniors. This is pantomime so many of these parts could be played by male or female of any age.
Excerpt
Mad Hatter: No room, no room!
Alice: There’s plenty of room (she sits at the table).
Nora: Yes, budge up and make room for a little one (also sits).
March Hare: Have some wine.
Alice: I don’t see any wine.
March Hare: There isn’t any.
Nora: Then it wasn’t very polite to offer it.
March Hare: It wasn’t very polite to sit down without being invited.
Dormouse: (Waking) Have some tea. (Going back to sleep)
Alice: Is he always falling asleep?
Mad Hatter: Yes, he fell asleep last time we had a party and somebody put a teabag in his mouth. He was furious – he hates being treated like a mug.
Dormouse: I used to live in a teapot.
Nora: Pour you!
Dormouse: Yes, it was a bit of a strain.
March Hare: Have some more tea.
Alice: I haven’t had any yet, so I can’t have more.
Mad Hatter: You mean you can’t have less. It’s very easy to have more than nothing.
Nora: (Eating some grapes) These grapes are a bit on the small side.
March Hare: I grew them to fit my mouth, not yours.
Mad Hatter: I have a riddle! I have a riddle! What’s the difference between a cup of tea and a magician?
Alice: I don’t know, what is the difference?
Mad Hatter: One’s a cuppa, one’s a saucer-er.
Nora: I’ve got one for you. How do you keep an idiot in suspense?
Mad Hatter: How?
Nora: I’ll tell you tomorrow.
Hatter, Hare & Dormouse: Rude!
March Hare: Before you arrived we were hungry.
Dormouse: Now we’re fed up.
Mad Hatter: Why is a raven like a writing desk?
Alice: I think I might know this one.
March Hare: I’m all ears!
Mad Hatter: Time’s up! Time’s up! If you don’t know the answer you shan’t have any tea.
Dormouse: (Waking up and stretching) More tea please!
Mad Hatter: No more tea. It’s all gone. Go back to sleep.
Nora: No more? I’m starving hungry, there’s a lot of me to keep up.
Mad Hatter: Have you guessed the riddle yet?
Alice: No, I give up. What’s the answer?
Mad Hatter: I haven’t the faintest idea.
March Hare: Nor me.
Dormouse: (Waking) Just what I was going to say myself.
Alice: I’d have thought you’d have better things to do than ask riddles to which there are no answers.
Mad Hatter: Not really.
Nora: If you’ve got time on your hands I could show you how to fill it. I could do with a man to look after me (she waves at him across the table).
March Hare: He’s mad, not completely insane!
Male – 6
Female – 6
Male or female – 7
There are also small speaking parts for various chorus members and juniors. This is pantomime so many of these parts could be played by male or female of any age.
Excerpt
Mad Hatter: No room, no room!
Alice: There’s plenty of room (she sits at the table).
Nora: Yes, budge up and make room for a little one (also sits).
March Hare: Have some wine.
Alice: I don’t see any wine.
March Hare: There isn’t any.
Nora: Then it wasn’t very polite to offer it.
March Hare: It wasn’t very polite to sit down without being invited.
Dormouse: (Waking) Have some tea. (Going back to sleep)
Alice: Is he always falling asleep?
Mad Hatter: Yes, he fell asleep last time we had a party and somebody put a teabag in his mouth. He was furious – he hates being treated like a mug.
Dormouse: I used to live in a teapot.
Nora: Pour you!
Dormouse: Yes, it was a bit of a strain.
March Hare: Have some more tea.
Alice: I haven’t had any yet, so I can’t have more.
Mad Hatter: You mean you can’t have less. It’s very easy to have more than nothing.
Nora: (Eating some grapes) These grapes are a bit on the small side.
March Hare: I grew them to fit my mouth, not yours.
Mad Hatter: I have a riddle! I have a riddle! What’s the difference between a cup of tea and a magician?
Alice: I don’t know, what is the difference?
Mad Hatter: One’s a cuppa, one’s a saucer-er.
Nora: I’ve got one for you. How do you keep an idiot in suspense?
Mad Hatter: How?
Nora: I’ll tell you tomorrow.
Hatter, Hare & Dormouse: Rude!
March Hare: Before you arrived we were hungry.
Dormouse: Now we’re fed up.
Mad Hatter: Why is a raven like a writing desk?
Alice: I think I might know this one.
March Hare: I’m all ears!
Mad Hatter: Time’s up! Time’s up! If you don’t know the answer you shan’t have any tea.
Dormouse: (Waking up and stretching) More tea please!
Mad Hatter: No more tea. It’s all gone. Go back to sleep.
Nora: No more? I’m starving hungry, there’s a lot of me to keep up.
Mad Hatter: Have you guessed the riddle yet?
Alice: No, I give up. What’s the answer?
Mad Hatter: I haven’t the faintest idea.
March Hare: Nor me.
Dormouse: (Waking) Just what I was going to say myself.
Alice: I’d have thought you’d have better things to do than ask riddles to which there are no answers.
Mad Hatter: Not really.
Nora: If you’ve got time on your hands I could show you how to fill it. I could do with a man to look after me (she waves at him across the table).
March Hare: He’s mad, not completely insane!