Alice in Wonderland (musical)
Alice in Wonderland is a musical by Henry Savile Clarke (book and lyrics), Walter Slaughter (music) and Aubrey Hopwood (lyrics), based on Lewis Carroll's books "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (1865) and "Through the Looking-Glass" (1871). It debuted at the Prince of Wales Theatre in the West End in 1886. The piece, billed as "A musical dream play in two acts", achieved considerable popularity. At Carroll's request, Slaughter retained the old tunes in the parodies such as "Bonny Dundee". Background. There were several amateur productions of "Alice" after the book's publication, and  Carroll himself considered dramatizing the story for the professional stage. In 1877 he wrote to Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert and Sullivan) in an attempt to persuade him to write the songs for a musical production. Sullivan was interested in the idea and proposed that he would compose a score to Carroll's libretto. Carroll hesitated, partly at the high fee Sullivan suggested for his work. Wanting to know what he would get for his money, Carroll suggested that Sullivan first score a song or two. After this the proposed collaboration fizzled out. In August 1886 the dramatist and critic Henry  Savile Clarke wrote to Carroll asking to adapt "Alice in Wonderland" for the stage. Carroll gave permission but with several stipulations: There are one or two "wishes" on the subject, which I will name for your consideration: but the only essential consideration is that I should have your written guarantee that, neither in the libretto nor in any of the stage business, should any coarseness, or anything suggestive of coarseness, be admitted. ... This piece ought to be an Operetta (like "The Mikado") and not a Pantomime. Carroll was involved completely in the production from beginning to end, offering advice on  everything from the adaptation of the novel to choosing the cast. He chose the child actress Phoebe Carlo for the title role, bought her costumes at his own expense and sent her to the actress Kate Terry for lessons in elocution. Dorothy D'Alcourt, who played the Dormouse, was aged . The production opened on 23 December 1886 at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London. "The Theatre" described the piece as a pantomime but wrote in its review, ""Alice in Wonderland" will not appeal to the children alone. ... Mr. Savile Clarke has done wonders. ... The play is beautifully mounted, and splendidly  acted, Miss Phœbe Carlo being very successful as the little heroine... she played in a delightful and thoroughly artistic fashion, and in this respect she was closely followed by a tiny mite, Miss Dorothy D'Alcort, who plays first the Dormouse. ... Mr. Edgar Bruce, Mr. Walter Slaughter (who has written some charming music for the piece), and Mr. Savile Clarke, all deserve unstinted praise." The piece was frequently revived over the next four decades. Synopsis. Act I, "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", is in two scenes: "A Forest in Autumn" and "A Glade in Wonderland". Act II, "Through the Looking Glass , consists of four scenes: Through the Looking Glass"; "The Garden of Live Flowers"; "A Sea-Shore"; and "The Banqueting Hall – The Forest Again." A review in "The Theatre" summarised the story as follows: Subsequent productions. The musical was frequently revived during West End Christmas seasons during the four decades after its premiere. London productions were mounted at the Globe Theatre in 1888, with Isa Bowman as Alice; the Opera Comique in 1898; the Vaudeville Theatre in 1900, with some new additional music by Slaughter; the Camberwell Theatre in 1902; the Prince of Wales's Theatre (1906); the Savoy Theatre in  1908 produced by William Greet; the Savoy in 1910; the Wimbledon Theatre in 1914; the Savoy in 1914; the Duke of York's Theatre in 1915; the Savoy in 1916; the Garrick Theatre in 1921; and the Savoy in 1927. Adult actors who appeared along with the mainly juvenile casts included Irene Vanbrugh as the Knave of Hearts (1888); Ellaline Terriss as Alice and Seymour Hicks as the Hatter (1900); Marie Studholme as Alice, Alice Barth as the Duchess and the Red Queen, Stanley Brett as the Mad Hatter and J. C. Buckstone as Tweedledee at the Prince of Wales 's Theatre (1906); Dan Leno (1909, in a production conducted by Marjory Slaughter, the composer's daughter); and C. Hayden Coffin as the Hatter (1913 and 1921).