Kent students involved in the University of Kent Cecilian Choir, including a number of students from the Department of Drama and Theatre, will featuring on BBC Radio Kent’s Dominic King Show on Tuesday 18 February 2020 from 6pm, to talk about their production of Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Dream Play.
To mark the bicentenary of the birth of Sir John Tenniel, illustrator of the first publication of Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice in Wonderland, the University of Kent is undertaking a reconstruction of an historic adaptation of the book for the stage. First performed at the Royal Globe Theatre on 23 December 1886, the production was overseen by Carroll and written by Henry Savile Clarke, with music by Walter Slaughter. Kent’s production will examine the creative challenges involved in reconstructing a piece of Victorian theatre without the benefit of digital archives.
Sophia Lyons, who will play the role of Alice, is studying her third-year on the BA (Hons) in Drama and Theatre. She is a member of the University Chamber Choir, Cecilian Choir and Chorus. Sophia has also been involved in a project with children at St Nicholas School, Canterbury, in line with her degree, facilitating music and drama workshops.
Maddie Jones, who will play the Cheshire Cat in the February show, is also studying in the third year of her BA (Hons) in Drama and Theatre. Maddie sings with the Cecilian Choir, and has previously sung with Minerva Voices during her time at Kent.
Finally, the role of the White Rabbit will be played by Robbie Frederick, who is studying in his second year on the BA (Hons) in Comparative Literature and Drama. Robbie is also a member of the University Chamber Choir and Cecilian Choir, and in 2019 he was involved in the Musical Theatre Society‘s production of Rent at the Marlowe Theatre Studio, Canterbury.
Reconstructed from a vocal score by the Deputy Director of Music, Dan Harding, the performance will be given by the University Cecilian Choir, Music Scholars and soloists, accompanied by a specially-arranged chamber ensemble, on Friday 21 February and Friday 29 May in 2020, in Colyer-Fergusson Hall.
For more details of the events, please see:
https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/university-of-kent-cecilian-choir-alice-in-wonderland/
https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/university-of-kent-cecilian-choir-soloists-and-ensemble-alice-in-wonderland/
The Dominic King Show will be available after broadcast here:
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0822xpr