Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – LOOKINGGLASS ALICE remains an intoxicating hybrid of stylish storytelling and high-flying physical feats

• By drediman
• June 3, 2022
• No Comments

This week, I flew to Chicago to re-acquaint myself with the city’s rich performing arts scene. Having spent not an insignificant portion of my adult life in the Windy City, I occasionally get the itch to re-engage in its theatrical offerings. The first outing of my current visit was to attend the aptly titled Lookingglass Alice, one of the signature productions of Lookingglass Theatre Company (the same company that brought their literally splashy production of Metamorphoses to Broadway in 2002), which presents the piece in association with The Actors Gymnasium.

I had first seen the production when it was new way back in 2005. Having scored a big critical and commercial success, Lookingglass has since revived the staging on a regular basis (I revisited the show again in 2008). Given that the production was last seen in 2015, it seems a ripe time to bring back the production, and it’s just as enchanting as I recall. The brilliance of Ensemble Member David Catlin’s stage adaptation of the works of Lewis Carroll is how expertly it blends theatrical storytelling with high-flying physical feats (most of them of the cirque variety). Indeed, as much as I marveled at the visual spectacle and stylishness of the storytelling, nothing is extraneous and the vibrant emotional thrust of Alice’s journey forms the backbone of the production. Indeed, at its heart, Lookingglass Alice is a beautifully heartfelt ode to the bittersweet heartache of growing up.

The current cast is exceptional, bringing unceasing energy and playful verve to their performances. Although there are only six members in the cast, the production seems much larger given the virtuosity of their ensemble work. As the the titular Alice, Lindsey Noel Whiting (looking very much like Celia Keenan-Bolger) is utterly beguiling, seamlessly bringing together her top notch skills as an actress and circus artist. The company’s current home in the historic Water Tower Water Works is the perfect venue for the production – the space is intimate and immersive, yet technically equipped to accommodate the work’s intoxicating and often ravishing fun house effects.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

LOOKINGGLASS ALICE
Regional, Play
Lookingglass Theatre Company
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Through July 31