Alice in Wonderland at the Ensemble Theatre

Photo credit ETC

How was your Thanksgiving?  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving visiting family and continued the holiday festivities by going to see Alice in Wonderland at the Ensemble Theatre in Cincinnati on Friday afternoon. 

What a great holiday treat.  If you are not familiar with the Ensemble Theatre, they are known for their intimate-style theatre, where no seat is a bad seat, and their eclectic plays. 

In this musical production, Alice is not the traditional blond little girl frolicking about in a blue dress and white apron.  She is a spunky brunette in a blue flowered romper with white Keds.  The wise caterpillar appears to be from Jamaica and the Cheshire cat is a sassy lounge singer...who moonlights as a lawyer.

The kids were mesmerized from the moment we sat down, giggling and covering their mouths as they watched Alice try to recite the alphabet and count to ten as she realized she was in a crazy, crazy world where nothing made sense.    The colorful and creative costumes were fantastic and the Queen of Hearts was delightful in her knee-high, bright red Converse tennis shoes.   There were also jokes and puns for the adults, so this is not a show just for kids.

The songs were fun and fast-paced.  The musical number during the croquet scene was especially fun as we watched the characters use their flamingo mallets and squirmed a little while Alice deliberated on whether or not to eat the first tart (Bad move, Alice.  Bad move.).

My favorite character was the Queen of Hearts.  I do love a good villain.  She seemed to enjoy yelling "Off with her head!" a little too much, as she cackled to herself after each proclamation like it was her own personal joke.  Her make up and costume were fabulous and she totally won my heart. 

If you and your family would like to see Alice in Wonderland at the Ensemble Theatre, shows run November 28, 2012 through December 30, 2012.  You may buy tickets at the Ensemble Theatre website or by calling (513) 421-3555.  The theatre is located at 1127 Vine Street in Cincinnati.  Check out the Ensemble's website for the scoop on parking, and arrive early.  You don't want to be late or you'll have to wait to be seated.  This is a fantastic holiday treat! 

Disclaimer:  I was given 5 free tickets to attend this show, but this review is 100% my own opinion!