Alice in Wonderland inspires a new play in Chennai 

Alice gets a new stage makeover, leading us into her Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland inspires a new play in Chennai 

In another instance of a classic being adapted into a play in Chennai, Alice In Wonderland will be staged by city-based A to Zee Creativity, which trains children in arts and theatre. It is known for adapting such classics in the past, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, and this time they will be staging their latest production at VS Dhandapani Auditorium in Thiruvanmiyur for three consecutive days, starting tomorrow. One of the main reasons behind choosing Lewis Carrol’s most popular story is the presence of a lead female character. “Since both our previous plays were based on Charlie, we chose this story for its strong female protagonist,” says Shaan Katari Libby, the director of the play, adding that she was also tempted by the fact that she graduated from the same college that Alice Liddell studied in — Christ Church, Oxford. The proceeds from the event will be given to city-based cancer organisations, Canstop and Adyar Cancer Institute.   

With not many changes in the original story, the plot of the play will be fairly familiar for the targeted audience, which Shaan expects to be mostly families with school-aged children. “Alice in Wonderland is a trip into the imagination of a little girl — something that is timeless. She is bored and sleepy, then drifts off into a world filled with strange and curious creatures,” explains Shaan, adding that the costumes have been designed by her mother, Tehzeeb Katari who is a veteran theatre artiste. From the 35-member cast, Shaan’s daughter Zai, Aalia Chhabria and Akshita Krishnan will play the roles of the protagonist during her three respective ages. “The kids may be distracted and not remember their lines often, but in the end it is all fun,” says Shaan, adding that homemade cookies and brownies will also be offered at the venue. The play will last around two hours, and if all goes well, might be staged in other cities. “It’s hard to travel with so many children, but if there are sponsors, then who knows,” she says. Aug 12-14. 6.30 pm. 

Rs. 200 onwards. Details: eventjini.com

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