UP YOUR RABBIT HOLE
nytheatre.com review by April Nugent
August 15, 2002
Imagine being a recent high school graduate and having a play,
written by and starring you and your friends, presented in New
York City for a throng of admiring family and friends. This
describes the Queen Mab’s Theatre Company from Westchester, NY.
This young group is performing Up Your Rabbit Hole, an
original adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s children’s classic
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Up Your Rabbit Hole follows Alice Liddell, an ambitious advertising executive, determined to win her company’s largest account. She is so focused, in fact, that she neglects other areas of her life. After some confusion on her morning commute, Alice winds up aboard the wrong train and soon finds herself in the world of Wonderland. This time around, the sadistic Queen of Hearts has set up a mandatory game of "Capture the Flag" in which the winner will be crowned the new ruler of Wonderland. Through her participation in this game, Alice learns that winning is not the most important thing in life and upon her return to the real world, chooses to follow her heart.
Though there are some clever updates to Carroll’s characters, the script is predictable, full of cliches and lacking in forward momentum. The 75-minute piece seems considerably longer and is full of unfortunate reminders that you are watching an inexperienced troupe. Actors accidentally crash into one another both on stage and off, knocking over props and set-pieces, and crack up at flubbed lines.
However, there are some performances that are worth noting. Peter Kennedy as Tweedle Dum, Eoin Cahill as the Cheshire Cat and Tweedle Dee, and Trevor Dawkins as the Caterpillar all have well-formed characters and some nice moments on stage. And Felicia Hudson, who plays two rather small roles, proves that good, solid work shines through. I am quite sure that we will see these performers again.
Even though Up Your Rabbit Hole is a commendable example of theatre created by and for teenagers, it is not quite up to the standards of other FringeNYC offerings. However, Queen Mab’s Theatre Company should be applauded for their initiative and enthusiasm.
