Review: A unique family theatre experience with Alice in Wonderland at Battersea Library

When Battersa Library hadn’t been opened for Blackshaw Theatre by show start on bank holiday Monday, we first decided to turn around and reschedule. But Baby Girl was not happy with our decision. “I want to see Alice now!” she said, and going later in the week did not appeal to her.

We ended up returning to the library later for what turned out to be a very unique and interactive theatre experience. The new Blackshaw Theatre adaptation of Alice in Wonderland is set in a library, and the audience is moved from one room to another when Alice, who has lost her cat and wants to put up a poster in the library, goes through a new door when the library exit appears to be closed. The new door leads her to the wonderland, where she meets characters known from the popular classic, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.

There are seats for everyone in the room where the main part of the show takes place, and the audience can move around during the performance since the acting is taking place around the room.

To get the most out of the creative performance, which is targeted at over 4s, I would recommend ensuring little ones are familiar with the story and characters even if this version of Alice in Wonderland is pretty unique. Baby Girl loved the fun costumes and kept asking me about where the animals had gone when The Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit were out of sight.

When we walked out of the library, Daddy T and I agreed it had been a unique theatre experience and nothing like anything else we’d seen – a different and fun afternoon in Battersea!

Alice in Wonderland at Battersea Library is part of Wandsworth Fringe, and tickets are £6 for adults and £3 for children. The running time is 45 minutes, and the show is playing until 16 May

Tags: Alice in Wonderland, Battersea Library, Blackshaw Theatre, Children's theatre, Events, Family day out, Theatre