Looking back at…Alice in Wonderland

adapted by Richard Stratton

3-18th May 2014, The Selkirk Upstairs
2-16th May 2015, Battersea Library
4-5th June 2015, The British Home

There have been many iterations of Alice in Wonderland, but I bet no others have involved a knitted tea pot. Brilliantly reimagined by Blackshaw stalwart Richard Stratton, it was performed three different times, on three different stages, with three different casts – all racing around, causing havoc and delight in equal measure. Every single show was sold out, every single time. What a rush. You didn’t have to be mad to be involved, but it certainly helped.

this ingeniously directed production by Ellie Pitkin showcases all the theatrical tricks one can imagine…this resourceful and clever production

Public Reviews

an imaginative production…highly entertaining and engaging…a fun afternoon adventure

Everything Theatre

tightly directed and precisely performed – and gloriously silly

Cumbria PR

2014 CAST

EMILY RAE – ALICE
NATALIE WINTER – MARCH HARE/DOOR 2
ANGELA FERNS – THE QUEEN OF HEARTS/SHOPKEEPER
DEAN BRAMMALL – MAD HATTER/DOOR 3 /FLOWERS
LIAM FLEMING – TWEEDLE DUM/SOLDIER 2/DOOR 4
ALEXANDER PANKHURST – TWEEDLE DEE/SOLDIER 1/DOOR 1
NATASHA GREEN – CHESHIRE CAT
CLARE HARLOW – WHITE RABBIT/CATERPILLAR

2014 CREATIVES

ELLIE PITKIN – DIRECTOR & PRODUCER
OLIVER GORDON – ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
ZAHRA MANSOURI – COSTUME & SET DESIGNER
ANDREW CRANE – SOUND DESIGNER & TECH OPERATOR
CHLOE WALTON – ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
MATTHEW CONNELLY – ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
JONELL ROWE – ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
BRUCE ASHER – PUBLICITY DESIGN
VIKKI WESTON – PROJECT MANAGER/PUBLICITY
STANLEY WALTON – PUBLICITY & MARKETING
ROBERT HUGILL – PUBLICITY & MARKETING
BARNEY BARRON – PUBLICITY & MARKETING
NICK TATCHELL – PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY
ZAK THOMAS – PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY
MICHELLE BRISTOW – COSTUME & SET DESIGN ASSISTANT
SHINO MINAGAWA – COSTUME ASSISTANT
KIRSTY YOUNG – COSTUME ASSISTANT
NARA JEONG – COSTUME ASSISTANT

2015 CAST

EMILY RAE / RACHAEL STRATTON – Alice
ALEXANDER PANKHURST – Tweedle Dee/Caterpillar/Soldier 1/Door 1
NATASHA GREEN – Cheshire Cat
ROSIE MARSH – March Hare/Door 2
RICHARD STRATTON – Tweedle Dum/Soldier 2/Door 4
STEVE WICKENDEN – Librarian/Queen of Hearts
ALEX KHANYAGHMA – White Rabbit/Door 3/Flowers

2015 CREATIVES

ELLIE PITKIN – Director and Producer
MARCUS BAZLEY – Assistant Director
TEGAN CUTTS – Stage Manager
ANDREW CRANE – Sound & Lighting Designer & Operator
ZAHRA MANSOURI – Set & Costume Designer
MICHELLE BRISTOW – Associate Set & Costume Designer
VIKKI WESTON – Front of House Manager
SIMON ANNAND – Production Photography
ELLA OKEORE – Costume & Set Assistant
INEZ COONEN – Costume & Set Assistant
MARIA NOONE – Costume & Set Assistant
DODONA WHITE – Costume & Set Assistant
KATHERINE BURKE – Costume & Set Assistant/ASM

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More about Alice 2014

More about Alice 2015

The Blackshaw Arts Hour – Episode 34

This week on the show Iasha is joined by Matt who reviews Deadpool and we talk about a new twitter feed that popped up this week called @femscriptintros.

We listened to a live recording from a Blackshaw New Writing Night last year call ed Trick or Treat and also urged any of you with a half finished (or finished) play out there to submit it to our Showcase New Writing night coming up at the end of March. Get your submissions in here!

Helen brought us this weeks Arts Thing of the Week in the absence of Vikki. She spoke about the proposed ‘Garden Bridge’ and in turn the inconsistencies and bureaucracy surrounding funding for the arts across the country.

Finally, at the very end of the show was Great Expectations – Episode 4, make sure you tune into the next Blackshaw Arts Hour to hear Episode 5 on the 28th of Feb.

[iframe src=”http://www.podbean.com/media/player/cfw7v-5ca88a?from=yiiadmin” width=”100%” height=”200px”]

Looking back at 2015

We’ve had a corker of a year, and as we settle down in front of the fire with a mulled wine in hand and snazzy christmas jumper firmly on, we thought we’d take you through the highlights…

 

The Blackshaw Arts Hour on Wandsworth Radio (fortnightly from Jan 2015)

Subscribe on iTunes.

Available to download or stream here.

Read more about it and listen to past episodes.

 

10-29th November 2015 – Staying Alive by Kat Roberts, at the Pleasance Islington

Published by Nick Hern Books.  Buy your copy here.
“explosive emotion…a strong cast…lively and full of wit…” West End Wilma

“Proof that given enough time, talent and perseverance, theatre that really says something about the human condition can be made.”
Female Arts

“highly original, nuanced and enlightening…deeply observed social comedy…compelling from start to finish”
Remote Goat

“wonderfully human…a really powerful exploration of grief – honest and tender…”
London Theatre 1

Read more here.

 

25th November 2015 – Blackshaw’s Scare Slam, at the Horse & Stables, Lambeth

Read more here.

 

4-5th July 2015 – Alice in Wonderland by Richard Stratton, at the British Home as part of the Streatham Festival

Read more here.

 

Sunday 7th June 2015 – Blackshaw’s 5th Birthday Party!

Read more here.

 

2-16th May 2015 – Alice in Wonderland by Richard Stratton, at the Battersea Library
A sell-out run, as part of the Wandsworth Arts Fringe.
“…creative, imaginative and seemingly effortless style…The whole performance buzzed with energy, fun and joy.”
London Theatre 1

“The fun-filled show brims with chaos, madness and high jinks…the wild but classic tale of Alice in her fantastically retold Wonderland.” – A Younger Theatre

Read more here.

25th March, 17th May, 29th July, 30th September 2015 – New Writing Nights at the Horse & Stables, Lambeth

 

 

 

Read more here.

 

9-14th March 2015 – Character by Florence Vincent, at the Tristan Bates Theatre
“a delightful theatre production on in Covent Garden. Funny, nostalgic, well acted 2 hander” – London Culture Blog

“a witty play…reminiscent of Ab Fab’s Edina and Saffy” – In & Around Covent Garden magazine

Read more here.

 

15th Jan 2015 – Staying Alive by Kat Roberts, at the Pleasance Islington 
One night only industry showcase – Winner of Blackshaw’s Showcase Award 2014.

Read more here.

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!

 

See you in 2016.

 

Ellie & the Team at Blackshaw

 

 

New Writing Night – July 2015

THE OPEN ROAD
Written & Performed by Perry Sophocleous
Directed by Catherine Lord

THE GATES by Emily Jane Kerr
Directed by Alice Knapton
MATTHEW JOHN WRIGHT – Peter
KITTY LOVETT – Anne

AGE UK by Kat Roberts
Directed by Stephen Bailey
EMILY RAE – Tara
ROSIE MARSH – Kate
ALEX KHANYAGHMA – Jake
PRISCILLA GRAY – Frank
CATHERINE LORD – Alex

TRICK OR TREAT by Tonnvane Wiswell
Directed by Jo Greaves
NICOLLE PATRICIA – Pamela
JOSIE BRIGHTWELL – Krista
ALEX KHANYAGHMA – Clerk
ALEXANDER PANKHURST – Steve

CARER by Dermot Dolan
Directed by Sofia Nakou
ESTHER WANE – Carer
PAUL FOULDS – Elderly Man

Photos by Richard Stratton

The Open Road

The Gates

Age UK

Trick or Treat

Carer

Alice at the British Home – Rehearsal Photos

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Quick Questions in Wonderland: Alex Khanyaghma

We grabbed Alex Khanyaghma, who’s playing the White Rabbit/Mad Hatter in our upcoming production of Alice in Wonderland at the Battersea Library, and fired some quick questions at him.

 

What are you most looking forward about Alice in Wonderland at the Battersea Library?

The tea party scene. It always has me laughing when I read it and I love how Alice is trying to be logical.

What’s your favourite scene or character in ‘Alice in Wonderland’?

My Favourite character in Alice is definitely the Queen Of Hearts, she’s impulsive and ruthless, what a great way to lead.
What was the last project you worked on?

The last project I worked on was at The Vault festival in a new writing piece called ‘Little Write Lies’. ‘LWL’ comprised of 3 short plays all dealing with different aspects of lying and explored characters interacting with deception.
What’s the last book you read?

The book I am currently reading is ‘Labyrinth’ by Kate Mosse, not the super model, but author of the same name.
Besides Alice, what’s your favourite past role (or favourite past project you’ve worked on) and why?

Besides Alice, my favourite past show was the panto ‘Tinderella’ a modern take on Cinderella, where I played Prince Charming and Buttons, it was genuinely laugh out loud funny.
Not a lot of people know that…

I only change my bed once a month
What’s your guilty pleasure?

Listening to One Direction

 

What really grinds your gears?

When I am wearing freshly washed clothes and I drop food on them before I’ve even left the house.

 

You can see Alex perform the roles of ‘White Rabbit/Mad Hatter’ in Alice in Wonderland at the Battersea Library 2-16th May 2015 – more details and buy tickets here.