Alice in Wonderland, a brand-new full-length ballet, has arrived, presented by Ballet Theatre Queensland (BTQ) for a spectacular limited season at QPAC.
This marks BTQ’s second new work in as many years, following Snow White, which premiered in 2025. Like Snow White, this production features an entirely original score by Dr Lucas D. Lynch.
There are also new designs and, of course, fresh choreography by Artistic Director, Clare Morehen, blending classic ballet technique with jazz-infused, era-specific movement.
The story reimagines Lewis Carroll’s classic novel, transporting audiences to Hollywood in the 1930s. It opens not unlike The Wizard of Oz, with a completely sepia-toned colour palette. (There’s even a moment of heel-clicking choreography, a playful nod to Dorothy’s mantra: there’s no place like home.) Three tall streetlamps line the stage, evoking a loving homage to Singin’ in the Rain.
A dreamy Alice reads her novel as life rushes past her, unaware of the time until she bumps into a mysterious man who reveals it on his pocket watch. She flees, realising she is late for school.
Before long, she ventures down the rabbit hole into Wonderland, here reimagined as a bustling, neon-lit soundstage. Drawn into the golden world of old Hollywood, Alice encounters a host of colourful characters, including a Mad Hatter director, a pair of Tweedle costume ladies, a leading-man Caterpillar and a Hollywood starlet Queen of Hearts.
Lucas D. Lynch’s score enchants from the Overture. Performed live to perfection by the Cadenza Chamber Players, it is sweeping and cinematic, transporting us to a place we want to stay for as long as possible. (His Snow White score has been recorded on both CD and vinyl, both of which are for sale alongside a charming collection of mementos in the foyer.)
As Alice, Genevieve Schofield embodies the sweetness and dreamy innocence of youth, captured beautifully in her Act One solo.
The classroom scene is an early Act One standout. Lynch’s score is wonderfully melancholic here, while Josh McIntosh’s desk and blackboard set captures the rigidity of 20th century education. In an uncredited cameo role, Sophia Gougoulas plays the menacing teacher to perfection, alongside Schofield and a cast of charming schoolchildren.
It’s not long before the rich colours of Wonderland descend. Reds, pinks and purples dominate both Rebekah Ellis’ stunning costumes and Ben Hughes’ evocative lighting design. This is a world bursting with colour, sparkle and possibility.
Almost all of Wonderland’s iconic characters are introduced in Act One, and what a joy it is to see so many brightly painted ballet shoes, a welcome break from tradition.
Standout performers include Jayden Grogan as the Mad Hatter film director, who calls “Cut!” at the end of sweeping scenes. His acrobatic skills are impressive, and Morehen’s choreography integrates them in a way that feels natural to his energetic character.
The twin wardrobe assistants, aka Tweedledum and Tweedledee, make a striking pair. Played by Chloe Hough and Zara Strelen, they dance with fabulous energy, stage presence and characterisation.
The Act One finale sees the cast burst into a high-energy dance number inspired by the great styles of the time, notably the Charleston. It is undeniably the joyous highlight of the first half.
But the best is yet to come. Act Two begins, and we meet the Diva, aka the Queen of Hearts, played by Sophia Gougoulas. She arrives late to set in a luxurious motor car and is enraged when she discovers that Alice has replaced her, wearing an identical sparkling red dress. Alice is swiftly cast aside, the cameras roll, and the movie magic begins.
Channelling Lady Gaga in a platinum soft-waved wig, Gougoulas delivers a show-stealing performance as the Diva. Layer after layer, her costuming is divine, from the fur-trimmed, full-length red overcoat to the soft white satin slip. This is old Hollywood glamour ramped up to ten.
The highlight of the production is the Romantic Pas De Deux. Staged as a scene from a resplendent old Hollywood movie musical, it pairs the Diva with her leading man, the enigmatic Jordan Lennon, as the blue-haired Caterpillar.
Together they dance surrounded by a chorus of Flamingos dressed as feathered showgirls. Lynch’s lush score reaches its romantic peak here, and the overall effect is so overwhelmingly beautiful it moved me to tears.
There are countless technical highlights best left as a surprise; there are simply too many to name. Josh McIntosh works magic, creating an imaginative set within a theatre with no fly tower or conventional wing space. Kudos to the entire team who execute set transitions with such seamless precision.
There’s still time to secure a ticket to Alice in Wonderland, but don’t be late; this is a very important date. With this dazzling new production, Ballet Theatre Queensland reaffirm their commitment to ambitious, original storytelling and their growing reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting ballet companies.
Alice in Wonderland is presented by Ballet Theatre Queensland. It runs for a strictly limited, 8 show season until 25 January at the Concert Hall, QPAC.
Tickets: https://qpac.n.qtix.com.au/tickets/series/btqaliceinwonderland26
Website: https://www.btq.com.au/production/alice-in-wonderland-2025
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/ballettheatreqld/
Photo credits: Kate Taylor, Quince & Mulberry
