I went to the play “Alice in Wonderland” – a 1960s-style adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic – put on by the Excelsior Middle School drama program. The performance had wonderful costumes and colorful makeup. The scenery was clever, and the plot, although a little confusing, was well thought out. The lighting was clear, the actors’ voices were easily heard and the audience had many different expressions. It was easy to forget about the outside world and almost believe that you were actually in the ’60s watching this performance.

First off, the costumes were creatively made and colorful. The Alice dresses looked like optical illusions, with spirals in black and white that actually matched parts of the set. The makeup was so good that it made the “boy Alice” look like he was actually a girl! The makeup on the other actors was well planned, helping to bring their characters alive. Humpty, Dumpty, Tweedledee and Tweedledum’s makeup creations used a scheme of opposite colors on opposite sides of the face. I thought this was very ingenious.

The set was awesome, too. Bright colors, such as fluorescent pink, green and orange, really made the set sparkle. I also loved the giant optical illusion gears that spun quite frequently. Another eye-catching part of the set was the black- and green-striped couch for the caterpillar, which resembled mint chip candy.

The crazy plot made for an exciting play. A little girl (cleverly played by four actors) finds herself in an unknown land. She desperately attempts to find the door that fits her key that will lead her back home. Along her journey, she meets a zany bunch of characters that both help and hinder her progress.

The audience often reacted with a series of laughter, because the play was hilarious. The actors made many puns that referred to their character and their costumes, and the jokes that were made had me rolling on the floor laughing. Nobody booed or just sat still. The sound was terrific, even though a few times the body mics would go out. The audience loved the music choices that matched the hippie era of the ’60s.

Way to go, Excelsior!

Ryan Harpole, 12, is a seventh-grader at Excelsior Middle School. Click here for a review by classmate Christina Lauletta.