Whenever my dad comes to visit me in Toronto (he and my mom live back home in Vancouver), we like to get tickets to something fun. It usually ends up being live theatre, but this time around there was nothing offered here that either of us wanted to see. I had, however, been meaning to check out the National Ballet of Canada’s rendition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, so I broached the subject with him. It should be known that my dear father has endured countless hours of live amateur dance to support me (I have danced all my life). He is a big supporter of the art form, but classical ballet is not his favourite. But I figured I’d ask, considering Alice is not your typical ballet. For whatever reason (maybe he was just tired of fighting it?) he agreed, so I got the tickets and to Wonderland we went.

I was a bit nervous at the show because I really wanted my dad to enjoy it almost more than I wanted to enjoy it myself. And while things started out a bit shaky (there were some issues with dancers staying in time with each other that shouldn’t really appear in dance of this caliber), it ended up being a fun night for both of us.

As I said, Alice based on the classic Lewis Carroll fairytale is not your typical ballet. Yes, the story is still told solely through movement and music, but the magical aspect of the show makes it much more accessible to people of all ages and interests. It’s a fabulous introduction to ballet and a great one to take young children to. The sets and costumes were beautiful, and as always, the live orchestra was crisp. We saw Sonia Rodriguez play Alice, and she did a wonderful job of capturing Alice’s playfulness and curiosity, allowing us to discover Wonderland along with her. There were some surprises in the show (the Mad Hatter could tap dance!) and a lot of beautiful choreography (the flower scene, in Act II, was my favourite). And while I would have liked to see more actual ballet incorporated into the storytelling aspect, it was still a highly entertaining and enjoyable performance. Even my dad said so.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is on until Nov. 25th. Buy tickets here.

~ Sara Harowitz | Photo by Bruce Zinger, courtesy of the National Ballet of Canada