On the 28th and 29th of November, UEA’s Drama and Musical Theatre Society put on a wonderful performance at the university’s own drama studio to celebrate the end of the semester and to reveal what they had been working on as a collective.

With a script written by third-year student Polly Johnson, the actors and creatives took on the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland and implemented fantastic humour.

A highlight for me was any scene involving the Queen of Hearts (portrayed by 2nd-year student Grace Hartrop) and her troop of goofy card guards.

The comedic expressions, choreography and one-liners from the cards
had the whole crowd laughing.

Furthermore, the costuming of each character was so incredibly creative – from the cluttered top hat of the Mad Hatter to the mirroring striped overalls of Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

Alternating and recurring stage props, including tea parties and talking flower heads, as well as vivid stage lighting, transformed the ordinary black curtained stage into one of whimsy and colour.

The performance was inspiring to see how students can come together creatively whilst being busy with studies, and still create a brilliant and entertaining event.

Despite being a student-run performance, the experience was incredibly professional and exceeded my expectations.

I applaud all of the performers, crew and creatives involved, and look forward to seeing what they do next!

Image Credit: Taylor Sounes