A review from 5D Music & Theatre writer Maria Robertson.
Back in 2016 I saw Inverted Circus perform an Alice in Wonderland set at a Red Queen’s Banquet arranged by SEC Events in the Carmelite Hotel, so I was intrigued to see how this show would differ.
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According to the programme Inverted was set up in 2015 so that was an early performance indeed that I saw previously. This show at the Aberdeen Arts Centre followed the well known adventures of Alice in Wonderland from the moment she falls asleep until she wakes up again, having met all the marvelous characters like the sleepy dormouse, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts. These characters were all played by amazing gymnasts with the most flexible bodies! They all have a level of strength and stamina not often demonstrated publicly.
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It was very disappointing that Nelly did not get to play the understudy role she was detailed as in the programme (if you know you know!). However the cast was outstanding, most of them playing more than one role, and switching ably from aerial silks to hoops to trapeze. Alice was portrayed by Grace Fromknetch with various aerial skills, although as a Librarian I was most put out she dropped a book from the heady heights, although it may have been a fake, prop, book in which case it is a bit more acceptable! My favourite scene was when she met Sakshi Sircar as the Red Queen and they both performed side by side on an aerial hoop in the shape of a heart and the silks. The innocence of Alice completely overlooked the scariness of the Red Queen with her head chopping off motions as she was delighted to twirl and stretch herself around the heart shaped hoop.
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Dave Shaw and Rachel Allanach made a hilarious duo as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, bumbling around the stage – and indeed the whole theatre – before meeting on a trapeze and making me squeal and gasp several times with their amazing intertwined choreography. Dave also played the Mad Hatter and did some remarkable movements with a chair before joining the iconic Tea Party. I think I stopped breathing when he did a single shoulder stand on the side of the chair, my legs would not have been anywhere near as straight and upright as he managed, without showing any strain of the effort involved. Rachel also played the Cheshire Cat, as well as being a talented aerial dancer she makes a very convincing cat.
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A caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly, with colourful fibre-optic wings, was magically performed by Elsie Liontou in and out of the silks, which doubled perfectly as her cocoon. This was an example of one of the parts of the story when I wondered if the younger viewers would know what was happening. Most adults are probably aware of Alice’s various adventures and could identify the characters and plot lines accordingly, although judging from the wondrous watchings of some of the younger audience members it could be argued that they were not missing out in their ignorance as they still got to enjoy the beautiful movements unfolding.
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The soundtrack was a mixture of Wonderland tunes and more popular songs so there was something for everyone, although if you were hoping for the Un Birthday song it was not included. The music chosen certainly suited the performances matched to it, as you would hope and was all played seamlessly. Event-TM provided the stage management and lighting, and did a most effective job.
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This show was a perfect showcase of what Inverted Circus & Pole Fitness teach at their classes, I presume some of the audience attend and or pay for their instruction and this would have been very inspiring to them. To the less agile of us it was just a pleasure to watch and enjoy, although it has motivated me to increase my efforts at flattening my flab! Inverted Wonderland was definitely very visual proof that teamwork makes the dream work and I am sure we all enjoyed that dream as much as sleepy Alice.
Further information: https://invertedaberdeen.com/
Maria Robertson is the Chief Music & Theatre Writer for the 5D Pop Culture Website and provides reviews & coverage of local Aberdeen music & theatre gigs. She’s an experienced writer for numerous sources and is a self-confessed live gig addict ever since seeing The Counting Crows at the Barrowlands in 1994.
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