- This post about the National Ballet’s latest production is by Kelly, who is working with us this summer. Kelly will be attending Toronto’s Humber College post-grad PR program in September. Welcome aboard, Kelly!!
The National Ballet of Canada’s production of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ saw Toronto’s creme de la creme for it’s premiere, June 4th, 2011. I was fortunate enough to be in attendance (creme status not applicable).
The show premiered at the Four Season’s Centre for Performing Arts, with its remarkable glass lobby atrium, worthy of checking out even if not attending the ballet.
It was a whimsical dance, filled with childlike wonder and curiosity, that garnered rave reviews from audience and critics alike.
Opening with a fantastic set of Alice’s childhood living abode (enter: mansion) and moving wordlessly forward with her dramatic fall through the rabbit’s hole and drink me/eat me commands from the set design behind the feisty ballerina’s dance movements, the story unfolds in true Carroll-esque fashion. (Check out Lenny’s Alice in Wonderland site for an interesting explanation of Alice’s history) The ballet includes convincing harried movements of the white rabbit, a eerily staged Cheshire Cat and adorable “needs to be seen” pint-sized child ballet dancers, used as the Queen of Hearts croquet balls.
Dreamlike, fantastical and married to the original story, The National Ballet of Canada’s production of Alice in Wonderland is spectacular enough to engage the “mock-est” turtle of ballet.
If in Toronto during the running dates (June 4th-12th, June 23rd-25th) it is a definite must see.
Leave a Reply