‘Alice’ goes through energetic reworking Belfast Maskers put novices to good use

BELFAST – It was the language of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland” and “Alice Through the Looking Glass” that captured the imaginations and tickled the funny bones of children and adults last weekend at the Belfast Maskers’ waterfront theater.

Director Aynne Ames cast of more than 20, made up mostly of children, relayed the joyous absurdity of Carroll’s tale of Alice’s adventure but the original songs, written by Ames and Len Filipowski, were unnecessary and interrupted rather than added to the action. The cast also had problems keeping up with the recorded music, and a few were unsure of the lyrics.

On the whole, however, the second show of the Maskers’ 2004 season showcased the Belfast area’s finest veteran and novice talent in an energetic and colorful production. Seventh-grader Eliza Duggan as Alice held her own with Diane Coller Wilson, a founding member of the company, and Deb Derecktor, a local actress and Duggan’s mother.

Duggan captured all of Alice’s wonder and confusion at going through the looking glass, as well as her determined curiosity. She successfully portrayed Alice as a thinking child, one who challenges the logic of the world behind the mirror but never judges or condemns it.

In their roles as the White Queen and the Red Queen, Derecktor and Wilson enchanted the audience with their banter. Both actresses teetered on the edge of being scary but stopped short of frightening young theatergoers in the same way a roller coaster ride delights and terrifies at the same time.

The other tremendous trio was Charlie Hunter, Phil Price and Keely O’Connell as the March Hare, the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse. They set a madcap pace that was interrupted only by Alice’s far-too-logical questions. The young O’Connell didn’t miss a beat in keeping up with Hunter and Price, veterans of many Maskers productions.

Other standouts in the cast included teenagers Sara Stalla and Natalie Jimenez as Tweedledee and Tweedledum – who went against tradition and played the parts skinny instead of portly.

While the play was performed with minimal set pieces, Nell Moore’s imaginative costumes, especially those worn by the two chess queens, led audience members’ imaginations into Wonderland alongside Alice.

Ames, in her first year as artistic director at the 18-year-old theater company, appears to be committed to providing performance opportunities for the talented pool of young performers in Waldo County. She also is producing “Godspell,” “Haunted House” and “A Christmas Carol” this year, and “Alice” will be revived this summer.

For the benefit of her young performers and young theatergoers, however, Ames and the Maskers should move their 8 p.m. curtain time to 7 p.m. so that they can be on their way home by 9 p.m.

“Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass” will be performed through May 9. For information, call 338-9668. Judy Harrison can be reached at 990-8207 or jharrison@bangordailynews.net.