Emily Carbone ‘28
Features Editor
The Holy Cross Department of Theater and Dance has been hard at work on “Curiosier and Curiouser,” a departmental production with performances Thursday (4/16) through next Sunday (4/26). Directed and adapted by Lynn Kramer, the play is a fresh take on Lewis Carrol’s classic novels “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass.” While the original novels feature a young girl tumbling into unknown worlds, Holy Cross’ production takes a look into Alice’s future, featuring Lewis Carroll taking an aged Alice on one last adventure through Wonderland to remind herself of who she is.
In addition to being a brand new adaptation of well-known classics, the show is additionally influenced by Balinese dance and culture, and features the use of several special effects and complex set elements. “It’s been different from my other Holy Cross theatre experiences because it incorporates so many elements that I’ve never used before in any sort of show,” commented actor Connor Rizzo ‘29. “The show uses puppets, masks, headdresses, and projections to create a storytelling style completely different than anything I’ve done before.” Indeed, the theater department incorporates BOOM!s, a brand new mini projector medium.
The storytelling techniques used in “Curioser and Curiouser” have never before been seen in Holy Cross Theater, and the excitement to present the show has been palpable among the cast and crew. “My favorite part of this process has definitely been experimenting with the material. It’s a completely original show, so there’s no pre-existing model to shape our performances around,” Connor explained. “We’ve had so many opportunities to experiment with voices, movement, and character choices to develop this show.”
The show is fun for all ages, and I recommend catching it either this weekend or the next. It’s a refreshing, avant-garde take on a story so familiar, and the incorporation of Balinese culture is something that I’m interested to see. As a lover of all “Alice in Wonderland” media as a child, I’m very excited to see what the cast and crew has done with their story!
Featured image courtesy of the Prior Performing Arts Center
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