SHOW SYNOPSIS: ALICE IN WONDERLAND
The story opens in the familiar setting of The Vine in Sevenoaks, where young Alice, her sister Matilda, and their eccentric mother Dame Tickle are attending parents’ evening. However, normalcy is quickly upended when a frantic, pocket-watch-wielding White Rabbit named Hoppy Gilmore bursts onto the scene. Alice follows him down the rabbit hole and plunges headfirst into the chaotic, vibrant world of Wonderland.
As Alice searches for a way home, she discovers a land under the tyrannical thumb of the volatile Queen of Hearts, who has cursed Wonderland. Alice learns from the mysterious Cheshire Cat that to break the spell she must collect three magical objects: a bottomless teacup, a chrysalis, and a painted rose. Along their journey, Alice and Hoppy, secure the first artefact – the bottomless teacup – from the delightfully chaotic Mad Hatter at his chaotic tea party.
Meanwhile, word of Alice's quest reaches the Palace. The bumbling Tweedledum and Tweedledee warn the Queen that a strange girl in a blue dress is seeking out the wise Caterpillar to break her rule. In a towering rage, the Queen plans a devious trap: a grand Royal Garden Party to lure Alice directly to her. She sends her slick, villainous right-hand man, the Knave of Hearts, into the forest to sabotage Alice's quest.
Back in the Dark Woods, Dame Tickle and Matilda have crossed the portal to search for Alice. Following a spooky encounter with a forest ghost, they are joyfully reunited with Alice and Hoppy. Together, they meet the chilled-out Caterpillar, who grants them the second artefact: the glowing chrysalis, before transforming into a butterfly. Just as they realise they are lost, the Knave intercepts them. Pretending to be a friendly forest guide, he tricks the Dame, Matilda, and the Mad Hatter into heading straight toward the Queen's trap. The Cheshire Cat appears just in time to warn Alice, leaving her with a final, cryptic riddle to find the last item.
The story reaches its climax on the palace croquet grounds during the Queen's high-stakes party. The Knave drags in his captives, and a chaotic panto battle breaks out between the Queen's card soldiers and Alice's friends. Amidst the madness, Alice solves the final riddle, peeling back a red mask on a royal rosebush to reveal the hidden white rose.
Alice brings the teacup, the chrysalis, and the rose together in a magical finale. The magic takes hold: the tea cools the Queen's fiery rage, the chrysalis transforms her harsh exterior into a kinder form, and the white rose reveals the vulnerable truth – the Queen was never truly evil, just desperately lonely. Touched by her confession, the Mad Hatter steps forward and proposes, offering a lifetime of shared hats, tea, and companionship. The Queen joyfully accepts, and the defeated Knave slinks away to find new villainous schemes.
Alice, Matilda, and Dame Tickle wake up back on the Vine in Sevenoaks. Though Matilda wonders if it was all a daydream, Alice reminds her that no one can ever take away your imagination. Suddenly, Hoppy reappears with VIP invitations to the upcoming Royal Wedding. The full company comes together for a spectacular, high-energy wedding finale, proving that Wonderland is always alive as long as you keep holding onto your dreams.
CHARACTER LIST & BREAKDOWN
PRINCIPAL ROLES:
ALICE
Brave, curious, and determined. Unlike a traditional passive fairy-tale heroine, Alice is the proactive driving force of the story. She brings logic, sanity, and a big imagination to a completely illogical world.
MATILDA - Alice’s sister
A bit more grounded, nerdy and sceptical than Alice, but entirely supportive. She serves as a great comic foil to her mother (the Dame) and helps move the narrative forward during their scenes together.
DAME TICKLE - The Pantomime Dame
Loud, fiercely protective, intensely flirtatious, and aggressively high-maintenance. She wears outrageous costumes. She is constantly looking for love, eventually setting her sights on a man in the audience.
HEADMISTRESS TART / THE QUEEN OF HEARTS - The Panto Villain
Volatile, tyrannical, and aggressively dramatic. Her default response to any minor inconvenience is screaming "Off with their heads!" She struts around with a croquet mallet like a weapon. However, under her harsh exterior, she is actually profoundly lonely and just wants to be included.
MR. SNEER / THE KNAVE OF HEARTS - The Slick Villain / Henchman
Smooth-talking and devious but living in fear of the Queen. He loves plotting, setting traps, and misleading the heroes. Unlike the Queen, he refuses to reform at the end, proudly staying true to his wicked ways. A prime target for the audience to boo. Must have an enormous moustache.
MR. HATTA / THE MAD HATTER - Eccentric Character Lead
Utterly dotty, intensely energetic, and hyper-fixated on afternoon tea, biscuits, and outrageous headwear. While manic, he possesses a deeply kind heart, ultimately falling for the Queen of Hearts when she reveals her inner vulnerability.
HOPPY GILMORE (THE WHITE RABBIT) - Audience’s Best Friend
High-energy, chronically anxious, and constantly checking his oversized pocket watch. He acts as Alice’s loyal sidekick. He has distinct catchphrases, including a physical "tap-tap-tappy" routine to check the time and checking in on his "Happy Place" with the Sevenoaks audience.
THE CHESHIRE CAT (CHESH) - The Magical Guide / Narrator figure
Mischievous, mysterious, and all-knowing. Speaks strictly in playful, rhyming panto couplets. Appears from the shadows to drop cryptic clues, deliver riddles, and warn Alice of impending traps.
THE MARCH HARE - The Hatter's Partner-in-Crime
Just as mad as the Hatter, but with a more frantic, jittery energy. He treats every tea party decision like an absolute emergency. He wears mismatched clothes and holds a massive butter knife, constantly shouting random tea-related panic phrases to match the Hatter's eccentricity.
THE DORMOUSE - Sleepy Cameo Role
Chronically exhausted, cute, and pops up directly out of an oversized teapot. The Dormouse usually misses the main action by nodding off mid-sentence, only to wake up at the worst possible moments to shout a random line or a silly, high-pitched song lyric before crashing back to sleep.
TWEEDLEDUM & TWEEDLEDEE - The Double-Act Comic Relief
A classic, bumbling comedy duo who function as human bowling pins. They trip over their own feet, speak in frantic tangents, and are entirely incompetent at running errands for the Queen.
PROFESSOR SHROOM / CATERPILLAR - Cameo / Special Character
Incredibly chilled-out, groovy, and slightly psychedelic. He treats his part of the woods like his private "lounge" and puffs bubbles. He gives Alice the chrysalis before dramatically shedding his shell to reveal giant butterfly wings
ENSEMBLE ROLES:
THE TEACHERS / FLOWERS / COURTIERS – Adult Ensemble
THE SCHOOL CHILDREN / WONDERLAND BUGS – Inter Ensemble
THE CARDS – Young Entertainers
MAGICAL CREATURES – Juvenile Dancers
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