Alice by Heart

As a big fan of this (relatively) new musical, I was thrilled to see Scona Theatre Co. finally get their hands on this playful script paired with a truly radiant score. Written by the same duo that brought us the musical Spring Awakening, the contemporary sound and intricate harmonies are simply delicious to the ear.

Set in 1941 after the London Blitz, an English teenager (also named Alice) takes shelter in a makeshift tube station medical clinic with her friend Alfred who is failing from tuberculosis. In his final hours, just as their love is about to bloom, they leave the chaos of war behind and escape into their favourite book one last time. But instead of finding relief, the pair are instead confronted with trauma, grief, and the disruptive feelings of first love that could turn anyone’s world upside-down.

The entire cast shone, everyone had a standout moment or more, and the sense of ensemble/ community on stage was beautifully palpable. I thought the young, school-age cast inhabited their roles with such depth and respect – bringing new light all of the familiar Wonderland characters that we know and love – only now in a unique and unusual context.

There were a couple of instances where the sound mix drowned out the lead vocals and I had a difficult time understanding what the actors were saying, but the physical storytelling was very helpful in filling in those gaps.

DON’T BE LATE! Catch this rare staging before it is gone!

From what I've read and heard, it seems that people had mixed feelings about this show. As for me, I liked it. It's a musical, and I love musicals. The cast are great singers, and the songs sounded lovely. The mic issues was a bit distracting though, and it seems to be a persistent issue. Storyline-wise, some people might get confused with how we go back and forth the realities of war and the escape to fantasy. Still a solid show.

Alice By Heart is a facinating take on the famous book, Alice in Wonderland. The show is a tour de force both musically and physically for all the performers and took me through a large range of emotions as the story progressed. Great singing and choreography throughout. Special mention to Emmy Whitehead for her stellar singing and stage presence. Wonderful show.

Alice by Heart
 - Satco’s (Scona Alumni Theatre Co.) recent summer production at the Edmonton Fringe? A complete dreamscape. Picture this: a London Underground bunker during the Blitz, a dusty old book, a teetering line between reality and fantasy—and you’ve barely scratched the surface. Directed by the ever-inventive Linette J. Smith, this show is no mean feat—and isn’t that just the point? It’s a high-wire act of imagination, physical storytelling, and emotional honesty. And somehow, SATCo. pulls it off with flying colors! They’ve taken material that isn’t the easiest to stage and transformed it into something quirky, funny, deeply moving, and entirely cohesive as an ensemble — even though each performer shines as an individual. I'm practically biased—I know this world. But as an objective observer (wink)—you must see it if you can find a ticket. The vocal harmony is next-level, thanks to an extraordinary musical director and a tiny band that packs a big punch. And the design? Pure imaginative brilliance on a limited budget. Little magical moments everywhere. “We're all mad here,” said the Cheshire Cat—but you’ll feel beautifully sane by the end. This one’s not just theatre; it’s a portal. “Curiouser and curiouser,” indeed.

This is an absolutely gorgeously produced show.

Costuming, performances, set design all of it is dressed to the nines.

But here's the rub: I just don't think the show is very good. Perhaps mic issues contributed to this, some of the micing was inconsistently working and there's a lot of crosstalk in British accents.

But, if I'm being honest, given any particular scene in this show I had about a 35% chance of knowing what was going on. And the scenes where I did know what was going on, much of the music felt forgettable. I wasn't humming anything on the way home.

On one hand, it feels wrong to ding this excellent staging, as I've come to expect from the Scona Alumni Theatre Company, but at the end of the day, I just don't think I enjoyed the experience.

That said, I also know that I don't love Alice in Wonderland in general, so perhaps I was fated not to enjoy this one.

As an aside, as I was doing the Scona double-header waiting for the next show after Alice, the director, Linette Smith, chatted with me and was gushing about how she loves the work that she does so much that it never feels like work.

I too, love her work! I just didn't love this show.

(The entire run of this show is sold out though anyway, so positive or negative I guess reviews for this one are a wash!)

Alice by Heart was a dark take on the well known Alice in Wonderland story. It had emotion, intrigue, and some of the best voices I've heard in Fringe, however the instrumentals often overpowered the vocals making it difficult to hear the actors and follow the story.

WOW WOW WOW. The cast, the performances, the singing, the choreography, the polish. This is like seeing a little Broadway show and that’s why I never miss the Scona musical. I’m blown away as per usual!

What a delightful performance. Fantastic singing, acting, and set design! 10/10 🔥

Another top effort for Scona Alumni Theatre. Who knew Alice in Wonderland was such a wild & crazy journey 😉 Top shelf singing and the ensemble cast kept the audience fully engaged. High production value for a Fringe musical.

Those who have tickets will be entertained.

An overused fog machine left the audience choking, seriously, so much fog and so little story. The actors were talented and the set was great, but it couldn't make up for the confusing disjointed story where nothing managed to happen, for an hour.

Strathcona Alumni Playing By Heart

Strathcona High School’s Alumni make an impactful comeback with their stellar performance of “Alice by Heart”! From their unique and harmonizing voices to their simplistic yet strategic set, the Strathcona Alumni played all their roles with heart.

Written by Steven Sater, Jessie Nelson, and Duncan Sheik, “Alice by Heart” is a touching story that takes place in the tunnels of London during World War II. It follows the story of Alice and her friend Alfred, who is suffering from tuberculosis. As Alice blends and blurs the line between her fantasy and her reality, “Alice by Heart” becomes a story of the difficulty of facing grief during difficult times.

From the opening statement to the finale, the Strathcona Alumni demonstrated their dedication to excellence. Actors like Emmy Whitehead, who portrays Alice, showcase their talent by presenting Alice as a naive and imaginative girl with hopes taller than herself. Patrick Lynn, as Alfred, balanced Alice as someone with patience and acceptance. Of course, the rest of the cast did not go unnoticed, as they enhanced the experience of their performance with their stage presence and musical harmony.

The technical aspects of the show are details that no one can forget. The audience can clearly distinguish between Alice’s fantasy and reality, as the lights go from the cool colors of purple and blue to a white wash light. It highlights the creativity and imagination that Alice presents throughout the show, as well as the severe and harsh reality she has to face. Additionally, the set is simplistic to start with, as there aren’t many cues as to where the characters are in certain scenes. Of course, each scene is well-thought-out and choreographed with actors filling the negative space, making audience members even forget that there was negative space to begin with.

To finally wrap it up, “Alice by Heart,” presented by the Strathcona Alumni, is a show to see and a show always to remember. From directing to tech to acting, everyone in the production team had a part to play, and they played it with all of their hearts.