‘Alice Squared’

Press, 19 April 1989, Page 24

‘Alice Squared’

Oysters, flamingoes, a jazz-playing caterpillar, armies of cards and chess pieces, Humpty Dumpty and the Jabberwocky are among the characters in "Alice Squared,” an original version of Lewis Carroll’s "Alice in Wonderland” and "Through the Looking Glass" being performed by Linwood High School next week. The show has been completely produced by staff and students of the school, in the tradition started by the late John Kim, a former teacher in whose honour a special John Kim Memorial performahce is being held on April 30, to which local dignitaries have been invited.

The show has been written by Paul Bushnell, a drama teacher, with music by Grant Williams, a music teacher, and Felicity Williams, the 1988 composer in schools. The costumes — all 300 of them — have been designed by Peter Lees-Jeffries, the head of the English Department, and direction is by Paul Bushnell and Marlene Le Cren, head of the Performing Arts Department. There are 150 students in the cast and two musical ensembles: a brass ensemble and a scratch group which plays a variety of real and “found” instruments. “Alice Squared” will be performed on April 27 and 28 at 7.30 p.m. and April 29 and 30 at 6 p.m.