Into the rabbit hole of Philippine theater

THE colorful characters of Lewis Carroll's cherished books, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, have come to life through the latest offering by Repertory Philippines (REP).

- By Brontë H. Lacsamana

On opening day (Aug. 23), the schoolchildren brought to the venue by various sponsors excitedly lined the halls of the REP Eastwood Theater in Quezon City. It was a rare chance for these kids to go on an adventure with the ever-curious Alice, thanks to the magic of theater.

The musical, boasting whimsical costumes, bright lights, and interactive music and dance numbers, closes the 88^th season for REP.

As an offering of the Repertory Theater for Young Audiences (RTYA), the imaginative production reintroduces the characters encountered by Alice as she stumbles her way through Wonderland: the eccentric Mad Hatter, the frantic White Rabbit, the bumbling Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, the clever Caterpillar, the melancholic Mock Turtle, the mysterious Cheshire Cat, and, of course, the domineering Queen of Hearts.

Adapted for the stage with music and lyrics by Janet Yates Vogt and Mark Friedman and directed by RTYA creative director Joy Virata and Cara Barredo, the show is zany and over-the-top. It is best enjoyed with kids, like the students in the crowd on opening day, who would enthusiastically respond to questions the characters would pose to the audience.