[NEohioPAL] Berko review: ALICE (Porthouse)

[Roy Berko]

Magical
‘ALICE’ at Porthouse
 
Roy Berko
 
(Member,
American Theatre Critics Association)
 
--THE TIMES
NEWSPAPERS--
 
Lorain
County Times--Westlaker Times--Lakewood News Times--Olmsted-Fairview Times  
 
 
Three years
ago Matthew Earnest, who is now directing ‘ALICE’ at Porthouse Theatre, staged
a version of ‘OUR TOWN’ which stuck to the Thornton Wilder’s original intent,
but framed the production with a creative and contemporary style.  
 
Last year
Earnest’s directing genius was displayed with the inventive and audience-appealing
‘PETER PAN.’   This year, the
Roe Green sponsored Visiting Director at Kent State University, is staging a
fantastical, psychedelic journey into Wonderland.  This is not your traditionally staged ‘ALICE IN WONDERLAND.’
It is a visually enchanting production, with amazing costumes and some
interesting original music.
 
Earnest,
besides directing, also adapted Lewis Carroll’s ‘ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN
WONDERLAND’ and ‘THROUGH THE LOOKING-GLASS.”
 
 ‘ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND,’
which was published in  1865, is a surreal work of literary nonsense written
by English author Charles
Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll.  It tells the story of a girl named
Alice who falls down a rabbit-hole into a fantastic realm populated by peculiar and anthropomorphic creatures.
The tale is filled
with allusions to the author’s friends and enemies.  It has been examined from many perspectives…as an attack on
the British educational and social systems, as a world looked at through a drug
haze induced by eating hallucinogenic mushrooms, and as a mathematical puzzle.  Some just regard it as nonsense which
intellects attempt to make into sense and reality.  
Whatever, it is a
lasting piece of literature which has been the subject of plays, movies,
cartoons, and television adaptations.  
Whether you do or
don’t gain a message from Porthouse’s  ‘ALICE’ is almost irrelevant.  What you will gain is an appreciation for creative staging, excellent
performances, and how a script placed in the hands of a very competent director
can become exciting theatre.
The cast, most of
whom play multi-roles, is uniformly excellent.  Especially endearing is Emily Pote.  The talented young lady who played
Emily in ‘OUR TOWN’ and Wendy in ‘PETER PAN,’ at Porthouse is a waif who lights
up a stage.  She is utterly
charming as the now tall, now short, now energetic, now pensive Alice.  
Nick Koesters, he
of mobile face and good comedy timing, is especially effective as the Cheshire
Cat and the White Knight.  
The original
music by Cocteau Twins and Thomas Dolby adds a dimension to the production.   Pat Johnson’s costume designs may
be the overall hit of the staging. His creativity in making enchanting
illusions out of daily household goods is astounding.  Scenic Designer Steve Pauna adds much with his white-on-
white multi-doored set.  Matthew
Earnest’s choreography also adds to the delight, as does T. C. Kouyeas Jr.’s
lighting.
 
JUDGEMENT:   ‘ALICE’ is one of those special
productions which is a joy to experience.   Matthew Earnest has fast become one of my favorite
directors, gaining respect for his creativity and ability to craft lasting
illusions.  Bravo!  Bravo!
 
‘ALICE’
continues at KSU’s Porthouse Theatre, through  July 19 .   For tickets call 330-672-4102. or 800-304-2363.
 Porthouse’s next production is ‘MUSIC MAN ,’ running from July 24 through
August 10 .  Directed by Terri
Kent. 

 Roy Berko's blog, which contains theatre and dance reviews from 2001 through 2008, as well as his consulting and publications information, can be found at http://royberko.info

His reviews can also be found on www.coolcleveland.com and NeOHIOpal (to subscibe visit http://mailman.listserve.com/listmanager/listinfo/neohiopal.)